Omoide
by Pandora Angel Alice
Summary: Sequel to Bleeding Love. It's been 3 years since Bleeding Love, and Rukia still hasn't regained her memories. Ichigo tries to keep his distance, but it turns out the Black Sun just can't stay away from his White Moon. AU IchiRuki
1. Three Years and She's Still Rukia

****

Omoide

...I'm back. Hooray.

Sorry for being so down today. It's the opening chapter for my new fic... I should be thrilled.

I geuss that dark cloud's looming above me again....

This story is based off of the songs 'Last Night on Earth' by Delta Goodrem, and 'Memories in the Rain' by Ichigo and Rukia's voice actors.

Anyway, I don't own anything used in Omoide, except for my OC's and the plot...

* * *

**Prologue: Three Years and She's Still Same Old Rukia**

_If tomorrow never comes  
I want you to know right now that I  
I'm gonna love you until the day I die  
And if tomorrow falls asleep  
Can you hold me first  
I'm gonna love you like  
It's the last night on earth  
Like it's the last night on earth_

**_--Last Night on Earth by Delta Goodrem_**

* * *

It had been three years.

Three years since Rukia Kuchiki lost all her memories. Ichigo, Rukia, Inoue, Tatsuki, Momo, and the rest of them were in college.

The group, no matter how close they were, never thought they'd go to the same college. They had never really talked about life after high school. Momo had thought her singing career would have taken off by now, Tatsuki, after years of karate thought she finally get into the Vale Tudo, and Inoue... Inoue thought she could settle for a few years in med school, then go off to a hospital somewhere in Kyoto and be a nurse or something.

Alas, they were all just dreams.

And now they were going to a junior college in Karakura Town, hopefully a starting point for there dreams to take off.

...Hopefully.

Ichigo, our favorite little berry-head, had himself a small apartment down the street from the school. Ishida and suprisingly, Toshirou, who had come to live in Karakura merely a year after the... _incident_, lived in the building as well, except on different floors.

Rukia still lived in the old Kuchiki House, that's what she, Tatsuki, Momo, and Inoue called it, at least.

But about a year after moving into the big, empty house, she became lonely. She had bought a rabbit, naming it Chappy-although she had no idea why- to try and cure her loneliness, but it didn't work.

So that's why she immediatly invited Tatsuki, Momo, and Inoue to live as her housemates until they were out of college.

And now, here they were, 365 days later.

"Good morning, sunshines!" Inoue sang, bouncing into the room.

Momo waved back happily, and Tatsuki groaned, banging her head on the table. "Please, Orihime. I haven't had my coffee yet, and I can't handle your annoying cheerfulness _this early_!!" She said, praying the coffee maker on the counter would just _hurry up_...

What Tatsuki couldn't understand was how Momo and Inoue could be so... happy, this early in the morning, where as Tatsuki, as well as Rukia, were the Wicked Witches of the East and West.

_Well, _Tatsuki thought, pouring herself a cup of coffee as soon as the buzzer went off, _I suppose there ARE such things as early birds and night owls._ She brought the mug to her lips, and then thought of one very obvious fact.

Rukia wasn't down yet.

"Yo, guys," Tatsuki said, grabbing both Momo and Inoue's attention. They turned their heads and smiled. "Yes Tatsuki-chan? What is it?" Inoue asked, starting to munch on a nearby blueberry muffin.

Tatsuki was on her final nerve. One would have thought after an entire year of living with her, she would be used to Inoue's spacey behaviour.

But, no.

"Put down the muffin." Inoue shook her head protectively. "Fine then. If this is what it gets to make you _actually _listen!" Tatsuki said before snatching the muffin and biting into it.

She grimaced.

Inoue sighed as Tatsuki spit the muffin out, little bits of blueberry sticking to her mouth. "I warned you." More head shaking.

"What was _in _that?" Tatsuki gasped, after washing her mouth out with her coffee.

Inoue smiled. "I'm happy you asked! I baked them myself... nothing in the batter but eggs, flour, sugar, blueberries..." Tatsuki drank more coffee. "Anything else?" Inoue thought. "Oh! Yes! Some wasabi was mixed in the batter, red bean paste, soy sauce..."

Inoue was cut off as Tatsuki gagged into the trash can.

"Hey you guys..." Momo said after Tatsuki recovered.

"Anybody know where Rukia is?"

Tatsuki jerked her head up. "I was gonna ask that!"

Inoue, choosing to ignore the spiky-haired girl, responded, "I think she's still asleep.

"Well... I don't blame her. Look." All three looked at the calender. In red, the date was circled.

May 29.

The worst day of their lives.

* * *

**DREAM**

**_"If tomorrow never comes, I want you to know right now that I, I'm gonna love you until the day I die. And if tomorrow falls asleep..._**"

_"Oneechan?"_

_Mitsuki turned, and smiled sleepily at her seven-year old stepsister. _

_How long had Rukia been standing there?_

_"Hai, Ru-chan?" She asked, stifling a yawn. Rukia walked forward, a teddy-bear clutched to her chest. "Can you... can you tell me a story? Nii-sama and Nii-chan are asleep." _

_Mitsuki thought for a second. "Sure thing, sweetie."_

_Rukia happily sat next to her stepsister. _

_"Yay! What're you gonna tell?" _

_"I don't know. Cinderella? The Three Bears? Snow White...?" _

_Rukia shook her head. "Nope."_

_Mitsuki smiled. "Then what?" Rukia closed her eyes, and thought. _

_"Yukihime." _

_Mitsuki sat up straight. _

_"Snow Princess? Okay then... Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful princess who was named Rayna. This princess was known as the White Moon Princess because she was born in the middle of winter, and she preferred the night to day. She had shoulder-length, black hair, and beautiful purple eyes. But, no matter how cold she was, she always liked the Summer, too. For she believed the summer could melt her icy cold heart."_

_Rukia sighed dreamily._

_"And one day, she met a knight. This knight was known as 'The Black Sun' to Rayna's father, the King. She met him at the annual palace ball, and he had asked her for a dance. She gladly accepted, and that night, the two fell in love."_

_"But the king didn't like them loving each other, so he sentenced the princess, his own daughter, to death. He had already sentenced his last three kids to death because of them falling in love with the wrong person. What was one more?"_

_Rukia sat up. "And then what happened?" _

_Rukia knew this story by heart, but that didn't stop her from getting excited. "Did the knight save her?"_

_"Yes," _

_Mitsuki smiled at Rukia's impatience. "But as he approached her cell one night, she told him this: "I love you, dear knight, but we can never be together. I will love you until the Earth stops turning, but this is my last day on Earth... although I can't think of a better way to spend it than with you.". The next day, however, the knight killed the king to save the Princess. They ended up together." She said, yawning again._

_"Now, it's time for_ you _to go to sleep." Mitsuki said, pushing Rukia off her bed._

_"G'night, Ruru." Rukia smiled._

_"'Night, 'neechan! Can you read me Yukihime again tomorrow?"_

_Mitsuki smiled. "Of course."_

* * *

Rukia opened her eyes.

"...Another one? Well at least this dream's about someone I actually _need _to remember..." Rukia looked at the calender. "Well that makes sense... May 29. The worst frickin' day of my miserable life..."

She slipped her blue robe on over her tank and sweatpants-normal nightclothes for her- and started walking down the steps to her kitchen.

"Oh! Good, Rukia, your up." Momo chirped, bouncing up and down.

"Hm." Rukia grunted in response, pouring her coffee. She looked up. "Wait a sec... who made this?" She asked, pointing at the cup, eyeing Inoue suspiciously. "Me." Tatsuki answered. "Oh, good." Rukia sighed, dragging her feet over to the table, picking up a chocolate-chip muffin. "Just don't eat the muffins." Rukia spit them out, immediately downing her coffee, ignoring the scalding hotness of the drink.

"Oh, god." Rukia gasped, leaning over the counter.

Inoue raised a brow. "My cooking isn't _that_ bad!"

Momo shook her head. "Actually, Orihime, your home-made guacamole has enough of a punch to knock out a small elephant."

Inoue blushed. "Jojo had it coming."

Momo rolled her eyes. "'Hime! It was a _children's circus _for pete's sake! How would you feel if you were eight years old again, going to your first circus, only to have a young packaderm try to crush you to death?"

"Well... it sounds so... _unnatural _when you say it like that." Tatsuki shook her head as the two kept arguing.

"I'm going to the library." Rukia said, walking away. Tatsuki tilted her head to the side.

"On a Saturday?"

Rukia nodded. "Well, yeah. Ichigo said he was having trouble with English. I offered to help him."

Tatsuki smiled. No matter how long Rukia went without her memories, Ichigo was always there.

Even in he came in the weirdest ways.

"Okay, have fun." Tatsuki said, walking back to the table.

"It's a library, Tatsuki. I'm pretty sure 'having fun' is impossible." Rukia said, collecting her breakfast- cold black coffee and a deadly muffin- and walking back up to her room to get ready.

Tatsuki shook her head, Momo and Inoue still fighting in the background.

"Three years. It's been three years and she's still the same old Rukia."

* * *

Rukia walked out of the house. "Sayonara! I'll see you guys later tonight, okay?!"

She heard a bang, and the quiet, yet pained voice of Inoue. "Alright..."

Rukia sighed. "You hit your head on the bathroom doorframe again, didn't you?"

"...Yeah."

Rukia rolled her eyes and closed the door, locking it behind her.

"Ohayou." Rukia whirled around at the voice, and smiled. "Hello, Shirayuki-san. Gardening this early? It's only eight o' clock."

The woman smiled kindly. "I like getting things done early... Plus, I'm dragging Zangetsu to dance lessons downtown. Thirty years ago on our first annaversiry he promised me we'd go dancing. I'm done with waiting, so tonight I'm dragging him there."

Rukia laughed, trying to imagine Zangetsu waltzing, Shirayuki clinging to him. "I'm headin' for the library. Helping Ichigo out with English." Shirayuki nodded. "Ah. I see."

Rukia walked forward, and her eyes glazed over, lost in the scent of the beautiful red roses.

"You're good at that, gardening, I mean. These roses are gorgeous." Shirayuki smiled proudly. "Well, then, here." She said, cutting a rose bud off the bush and handing it to her. "You can give it to your _friend_."

"Shirayuki-san! He _is_ just a friend!" Rukia said, blushing and stepping back. Shirayuki smiled. "You know, red roses don't _always _mean romance and love. They could also mean an intense friendship between a boy and a girl."

Rukia rolled her eyes. "Nice try, but no."

Rukia walked off, waving goodbye to Shirayuki.

She never noticed the red rose sticking out of her backpack.

* * *

**Prolouge is done.**

**So far, I like where this story is going.**

**Anyway, reviews make me happy. Review and make me happy?**

**I won't update if you don't review.**

**TMU**


	2. Of Weird Dreams and Crimson Roses

**Omoide**

**Chapter two.**

**Some IchiRuki interaction! FINALLY!**

**Anyway, I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING USED IN OMOIDE, EXCEPT FOR THE PLOT & OC's.**

* * *

**Chapter 2:** **Weird Dreams and Crimson Roses**

_**No way to get out one way  
nigeru tame no sube mo naku tada tachimukau dake  
I wanna see your heart  
yume to genjitsu no aida kako to mirai no hazama  
mujun darake no sekai samayoitsuzuketeta  
**No way to get out, one way  
There is no way to escape, only to stand and fight  
I wanna see your heart  
Between dreams and reality, between past and future  
Wandering a world full of contradiction_

**--Lunatic Tears... from 11eyes**

* * *

"Hey! Ichigo! Sorry I'm late, you know how the others are in the morning." Rukia said as she took the empty seat beside Ichigo.

The orange-haired teen smiled. "It's okay. You wanna get started now?" Rukia nodded. "Sure, just give me a sec," She said, lifting her backpack up off the floor, digging through the main pocket. But what she didn't notice was Ichigo's hand reaching forward, grabbing the small rose in her backpack's front pocket.

"A rose? Rukia, who gave you the rose?" Ichigo asked somewhat calmly. But on the inside he was fuming. Was she seeing someone?

Rukia looked up and rolled her eyes. "Shirayuki-san must've stuck it in there. I told her I was coming to meet you for tutoring, and she got this crazy idea that I liked you."

"You don't like me?" Rukia's eyes widened, and she put her hands up. "No! Ichigo, no, it's not like that. Of course _I like you._ Heck, _I love you_ as a friend. She thought I _like _liked you." Rukia shook her head, digging back through her backpack.

"Here it is," She said, picking up the blue textbook.

"Okay, why don't we start on chapter 15?"

"Sure thing."

She never noticed his disappointed look when she said 'love you as a friend'.

* * *

**1 hour later**

"Rukia, are you all right?" Ichigo asked as he watched Rukia pack up her books.

"Yeah. Why shouldn't I be?" She asked, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

"It's just that you were so quiet for the entire hour and a half. What's bothering you?" Rukia bit her lip. "Did you look at the calender?" She asked quietly. Ichigo shook his head, then looked at his planner, one of the many items sprawled across the library table.

"So? It's Saturday, May... 29." Ichigo stopped and looked at Rukia in sympathy. "The day you lost your memories."

Rukia bit her lip and nodded. "Yep. And... I had another... dream. Or I guess it was a flash... I can't even tell anymore." She said, laughing bitterly. "It was about that girl... Mitsuki, I think it was. Dark hair, pale face, gray eyes, and this ridiculous smile. I was in it too. She was telling me a story called "Yukihime"."

Ichigo looked away. "I don't know. The way you described her, it sounded a lot like Hisana." He said arrogantly. "You're losing it, Rukia."

She put her hands on her hips, glaring at him. "I'm _not_! She specifically said her name was _Mitsuki_! The dreams about her are almost the same as that other guy... Byakuya or something." She huffed, sitting back down.

Ichigo felt uneasiness worm its way into the pit of his stomach. He briefly wondered how Tatsuki and Momo could live like they did, lying to Rukia everyday for a year. Inoue didn't really have to worry about anything, since she didn't know much of Rukia's past.

Then again, Ichigo couldn't blame them, he'd lied to Rukia, too. They never told Rukia about Byakuya, Mitsuki, or Kaitou. As far as the amnesia-ridden Kuchiki was concerned, she lived with Hisana and her mother until they both died when she was fifteen, right before she lost her memories.

Byakuya and Mitsuki were just people once loved, but now forgotten.

"Are you sure you don't know _anyone_who goes by any of those names?" Rukia asked somewhat hopefully.

"No." Ichigo's heart dropped as her face fell from a semi-grin into a full-on frown.

"Fine, then." She looked down, back at the table. "Here." She said, grabbing the rose from earlier and sticking it into his T-shirt's front pocket. "Keep it. I've got no use for it. Anyway, see you on Monday, Ichigo." She said, getting, up, trying to figure out her dream from the previous night.

"Yeah... Sayonara, Rukia." He said, absently twirling the thorny rose stem in his hand.

* * *

_**Flash**_

_"Rukia, for the last time, there are no such things a ghosts!" A black-haired nine-year old said to his little sister._

_"B-but... Nii-sama, I heard voices in the closet!" Rukia said, gripping tightly to her brothers shirt sleeve. Byakuya sighed. "I'll look. But I'm telling you, there's nothing in there!" He said, reaching for the closet handle. "You see, Rukia? I told you, nothings in-!"_

_"RAAAAAAAAWR!!!"_

_"AAAAAAHHH!!!!" Rukia screamed jumping back. Mitsuki howled in laughter, ripping the ghoul mask off her head. "Got you! That's what you get for putting those frogs in my bed, you little brat!" Hisana stepped out of the closet behind Mitsuki._

_"Mit-chan, I thought you said you were just going to frighten her a little, not scare the poor girl half-to-death!" Hisana said, exasperated._

_"I just wanted to get back at her!" She paused looking at Rukia's tear-stained face. "Sorry, Ruru. I guess I got a little too caught up. Can you forgive me?" Mitsuki asked, kneeling down to be at eye-level with Rukia. She smiled. "Of course! Sorry about the frogs, too, neechan."_

_"It's fine."_

"RUKIA!"

Rukia blinked. "...Huh?" She looked around to see a very irritated-looking Tatsuki. "What's wrong?" Rukia asked, getting up to warm up her cold cocoa.

"I was calling you for five minutes straight, is something wrong?" Tatsuki asked, putting her golden retriever-covered coffee cup down on the counter.

"No. Not really. Just another flash." Rukia said tiredly.

Ever since she moved into 'The Manor' as she liked to call it, she had been getting weird visions she called flashes. They usually were little bits and scenes from her past, but they didn't show much. Usually just her younger self, and unimportant scenes from what she guessed was her childhood.

She had one from right before she lost her memory, but the only thing that really registered were two voices, a male and a female, and a blurry picture of what was supposed to be a bedroom.

"What was it?" Momo immediately asked, sitting next to Tatsuki, Inoue nodding in agreement. "Yeah. Was it your childhood? Or something right before," Inoue gulped. "You know..."

"Childhood." Rukia immediatly answered.

"Hisana, and these two other people. Byakuya and Mitsuki. I've been dreaming of them a lot lately." Rukia said, shrugging and grabbing her cocoa out of the microwave before walking out of the room.

The other three girls sat, tense, quietly processing what Rukia said.

Byakuya?

Mitsuki?

Dreaming about them a lot?

Inoue finally spoke up. "She... she's remembering? That's good, isn't it?"

Tatsuki sighed. "I honestly don't know. Maybe. If she is remembering, I only have one thing to say."

Momo looked up. "What's that?"

"Ichigo is _so_ dead."

* * *

**Very very VERY short chapter.**

**SORRY!**

**I need reviews to keep me going! **

**Plz press that little button on the bottom of the page and tell me what u think!**

**-Tsuki M. Uchiha**


	3. One Person

**Omoide**

**Chapter three.**

**I only have one thing to say: FLUFF IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL!!! **

**I DON'T OWN ANYTHING USED IN OMOIDE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE OC's.**

* * *

**One Person**

**You say if you could fly, you would never come back  
You aimed for that blue, blue sky  
You've yet to remember "sadness"  
Just now began to grasp "pain"  
Even the feelings I held onto for you  
Are just now changing into words**

**-Blue Bird by Ikimono Gakari**

* * *

**Rukia's POV**

**Dream**

"Rukia."

_I groaned as I heard my name being called. Why was this voice so familiar? So warm and comforting..._

"Rukia, sweetheart, wake up. Come on, wake up." _The voice cooed again._

_I jerked up. I was in my bed... but this was not my room. I was in a house, maybe the living room. "Hi, sweetie. Look at you, I haven't seen you since you were ten years old! Your all grown up..." The voice echoed. I almost immediatly recognized it this time. The warm, soft voice I could barely remember._

_"...Hisana?"_

_I turned, and nearly jumped out of my skin._

_There, clad in a white robe, was my big sister, Hisana Kuchiki. "You remembered," She half-murmured, and smiled ruefully. "You actually remembered me." She said, a bit louder this time. She sat frozen, like a statue, on the couch. Her legs were crossed, not touching the ground._

_"I survived." I murmured, talking to myself more than the ghost-girl in front of me. "You and 'kaachan... you didn't..." I was trying to convince myself, wondering if I was _really_ sleeping. Then I heard her laugh. "Yeah, well... I guess we weren't supposed to. Normally I would _never _say this in front of a younger sister, but I suppose you're old enough. Fate's a bitch, ya know?" She giggled softly, and looked me over once._

_"Now..." She started, resting her head on her hand. "I've obviously been sent here for a reason. Mind telling me what's goin' on?" I sighed. I couldn't even enjoy my _dreams_ without people questioning me. "I have questions... a lot of questions. Do you have any idea who... Byakuya and Mitsuki are?" I asked softly. If anyone, Hisana would surley know._

_"I..." She then stopped, and looked around, standing up._

_"I'm sorry Ru, I've gotta let you go. Someone's comin'."_

**END RUKIA'S POV**

Rukia jolted up in a cold sweat, breathing heavily. At her bedside sat Tatsuki, dressed in her purple robe and pj's, her hand rubbing Rukia's arm, trying to comfort the small girl. On her left, was Momo, dressed all in green, a baseball bat in her left hand. On her right, standing next to Tatsuki, was Inoue, in all her pink glory.

"You okay?" Momo breathed out. "We heard you scream, and came up. Did someone try to break in or something? The window's open..." Momo whispered the last part, and moved to close the window.

Rukia's eyes shifted from friend to friend, still panting heavily.

"I'm fine," She breathed out, calming herself.

"Just one_ hell _of a weird dream."

* * *

**The Next Day**

"I swear, Tatsuki, I saw her. Hisana was there, in my dreams, about to tell me things I've waited _so long_ to hear." Rukia turned from the coffee maker, and smiled ruefully. "To _remember_." She added quietly, sipping the hot drink in her hands.

Tatsuki sighed. She had been listening to Rukia talk about her dream from the past night for almost a half-hour now. Now, Tatsuki was _positive_ Rukia had lost it.

"Rukia, how much time have you put into studying this week?" Tatsuki sighed, avoiding eye-contact with her friend. "Excuse me?" Rukia asked, genuinly confused. "What do you mean?"

Tatsuki looked at her friend, disbelief reflecting in her eyes. "Eighty? Nintey hours this entire week, including weekends?" She sighed again. "Let's face it, Ru. The last time you really had the full _eight hours_ was last night. The night you had that dream. You're tired, and it was bound to show..."

"You think I'm crazy?"

Tatsuki flinched. _Crazy is such a _strong_ word. _She thought, clearing her throat. "No, no, of course not. It's just... testing is next week, ya know? Then there's graduation... Summer break, then another year of school, then another Summer, which means only three months to get our acts together and actually find _good_ colleges, which ultimatley means good jobs."

Rukia shook her head in disbelief. "You don't believe me? Well, listen up, kay Tatsuki? I know what I saw, and what I saw was my sister. It wasn't just some dream. It was too real to be _just a dream._" She huffed, and walked away. She stopped suddenly at the door, and quietly added, "Momo and Inoue told me the same thing. But I know at least _one person _who'll believe me."

"Rukia!" Tatsuki yelled.

But she was gone.

* * *

**Two hours later:**

"You believe me, right, Ichigo?" Rukia asked, looking him straight in his amber eyes.

They were sitting on a bench, right in the middle of Karakura Park.

Ichigo sighed, and bit his lip. To lie? Or not to lie?

"Of course I do." To Lie.

Rukia eyed him suspiciously. "You don't believe me either," She sighed out in disbelief, smiling in an 'I cannot-believe-this-is-happening' fashion. "If even _you _don't believe me, Ichigo, I _must_ be going crazy." She said, throwing her head back and laughing tiredly. "Oh my god, I _am_ losing it," She laughed some more, then sighed wearily.

"No, you aren't crazy..." Ichigo insisted, putting a hand on Rukia's shoulder. "You're just confused," He said, offering her a smile. "This time of year is always rough on you." Rukia sighed, and touched the hand that was on her shoulder. "Thanks, Kurosaki." She removed her hand, and leaned back a bit, resting her head on Ichigo's shoulder.

She bit her lip, sat up. She hesitated for a moment. Her back was to him, so she twisted around, and smiled warmly. Then, she did the most unexpected thing. She leaned forward, and kissed him on the cheek. Then, just as quickly, she pulled back a bit and hugged him. "Really, thanks." She murmured into his ear.

Rukia then stood up, and walked away. "I'll...I'll see you next Monday, okay, Ichigo?" She winked slyly at him, and walked away from the grassy field.

Ichigo blinked, then smirked, touching the spot where Rukia kissed him.

She was remembering. That much he was aware of.

"Yeah, sure thing, Rukia.

* * *

"NO FRICKIN' WAY, SHIRAYUKI!!" Zangetsu screamed. He was currently being clutched on by the arm, dragged to what he called, "Death Via Tango".

"Zangu-kun," Shirayuki whined, batting her eyelashes over dramatically, "Come now, I've been trying for _days_ now, _one_ little dance lesson won't kill you. You'll like it. I know I tricked you into dressing up by telling you we were going to my cousin's Country Club..."

"Exactly!" Zangetsu suddenly said, blinking. "I'm extremly upset right now." Shirayuki raised a brow, her grip loosening. "You are? Why?" He crossed his arms, and looked at her, faking hurt. "Well, I wouldn't call our love _love_ if it's based on _lies_." He started shifting his feet a bit. "So... bye." He ripped out of his wife's grip completly, and bolted inside the house.

"Zangetsu! Zan- Oh, who am I kidding? He won't do anything I tell him... Not in this lifetime, at least." She sighed, and dusted her hands off.

"Shirayuki-san?" Said woman twirled around and smiled happily. "Oh, good evening Arisawa-chan!"

She smirked slightly. "_Still _tryin' to get Zangetsu-san to those dance lessons?" Shirayuki sighed wearily. "Yep. Sometimes, I don't know why I married him." Tatsuki blinked. "If you don't mind me asking, why _did_ you two get married? You seem like total opposites!" Tatsuki asked, walking up to the hedge that seperated the two yards.

Shirayuki sighed happily, and her eyes glazed over, a dreamy look appearing. "It all started... almost twenty-five years back, when I was about... twenty years old. We used to go to the same college, Zangu-kun and I. Back then, I had the biggest crush on him. He never really showed an interest in me, though." Her eyes suddenly hardened, and she sighed wearily.

"It was... it happend one warm, Saturday night. My boyfriend at the time and I, his name was... god, I can barely remember... Zabimaru, I think it was, were walking home from a date that night, and we suddenly ended up in one of the more... not-so-friendly neighborhoods." She shuddered slightly, but continued. "We walked for a bit, then, we met these four guys," She gulped. "One thing led to another, and Zabimaru was _dead_."

"Wow. Shirayuki-san, I'm so sorry, I..." But Shirayuki started talking again. "I thought I was next, but then, Zangetsu came into the picture and saved the day. Like one of those old 1920's movies." She laughed slightly and smiled at Tatsuki. "Well, you know what they say, opposites attract."

Tatsuki nodded slightly, seemingly lost in her own little world. "Hey, have you seen Rukia anywhere? We got into a little spat earlier... I let it slip she was being unreasonable about the whole 'Hisana' situation." Tatsuki sighed yet again, running a hand through her hair.

Shrayuki shook her head. "No. I actually haven't seen her since this morning. She said something about visiting Kurosaki-kun... Oh! There she is! Hello, Rukia-chan! How was your day to...day?" Shirayuki tilted her head to the side in confusion.

Rukia had a distant look in her eyes. She dragged her feet across the porch steps, and fumbled with her keys.

And, completly ignoring the two women outside, walked in to the house.

"I knew it," Tatsuki said, turning to face Shirayuki. "She's pissed."

* * *

**Thanks for Reading!**

**Like last chappie, this one's pretty short.**

**SORRY-- I'm getting SO lazy!**

**ANYWAY, I'll see you next time!**

**--Tsuki M. Uchiha**


	4. Pardon My Past

**Omoide**

**Chapter four... right?**

**Anyway, here's something I forgot to mention all the way back in chapter one.**

**Ishihime WILL (Most likely) be frequent. They're already dating, just so u kno, so don't be suprised if you hear Orihime suddenly say "I can't, I'm going on a date with Ishida-kun.".**

**WARNING: A LITTLE BIT O HITSU/OC! (HitsuKarin & HitsuHina are still canon, I just felt like throwin' this in here. I meant for the first part to be Angst/Friendship, but it somehow turned into Angst/Friendship/Romance)**

**ANYWAY, YOU KNOW THE DRILL, I OWN NOTHING!!**

**

* * *

**

Pardon my Past

_You walked with me  
When I was all alone  
With so much unknown  
Along the way  
And just when I  
I thought I'd lost my way  
You gave me strength to carry on  
That's when I heard you say  
I promise you  
I'm always there  
When your heart is filled with sorrow  
And despair_

**_--'Footprints in the Sand' (song) by Leona Lewis_**

* * *

_Damn it!_

Clouds floated in, one by one, dark and menacing. They almost screamed "sorrow" and, "despair". Lightning flashed, thunder roared, echoing across the sandy shores of the beach.

_Damn it, damn it, damn it!_

Footsteps. Feet flashed across the soft, white, grainy sand. The person the feet belonged to took no notice of the crashing waves, menacing clouds, or the loud roars of lightning. All he cared about was _her_. Getting to _her._

_"It's not that simple," he had told her. _

_A distant memory in the forgotten past. _

_"You can't just** be there.**" He bit his lip, running a hand through his hair. They were at the beach. Not a very smart move, considering they both knew the news report said it was going to rain. __"Sure you can!" She had chirped happily. He sighed. He seemed to be doing a lot of that lately. _

_"All you have to do," She said, holding up a handful of sand, "Is believe the other person will be there, at your side, no matter what. That, even if the rough, depressing times, they'll carry you if you fall." She let the sand fall loosley through her fingers. "Like I am." She blushed slightly, grinning up at him. "I was all alone." She had told him that night._

_"Until you came."_

He ran and ran.

_"My heart was filled with lonliness. The people close to me are most likely all dead."_

Ran until his lungs burned.

_"I know."_

Ran until his legs hurt.

_"I loved them."_

Sweat ran down his face.

_"I know."_

Tears welled in his eyes, but he willed himself not to cry. He wouldn't. He couldn't.

For her.

_"I... I know that they loved me too, but..." She sobbed._

But...?

_"But you couldn't tell them that. They had a reason for living. You felt as if you didn't." He took a step forward, and sighed once more._

_"I'm sorry."_

"I'M SORRY!" He screamed into the gray sky, as the first raindrops fell.

"I'm sorry... I'm...sorry..." And for the first time in nearly ten years, he cried.

He sobbed.

He gently carressed the words in the stone in front of him. The beach had led him to a small cemetary, about a mile inland.

To her grave.

He stood up, but before he did, Toshirou whispered his goodbye, the plea he whispered every time he came.

"Mitsuki, please, forgive me."

* * *

"'Cause I wanna hold you when you're gone, I'm selfish like that. I wanna know what love and friendship mean! Someday, you'll bust the lock on my heart." Rukia sang, dancing to the beat as she adjusted the volume on her ipod, shuffling through books at Karakura library.

"Let's see... A, B, C, D... Ah ha! Here we go! K section!" She looked through the shelves, all dedicated to families with their last name's starting with K.

"Kuchiki-san?" Rukia nearly jumped out of her skin. She whirled around, and saw none other than Rangiku Matsumoto.

"O-oh, hello, Rangiku-san." Rukia smiled awkwardly, ripping her ipod's earbuds from her ears. "What are you doing here?" Ruangiku smiled guiltily. "I... kinda got a late start on my History of Europe book report project thingy!" She laughed awkwardly and stuck out her tongue.

"Anyway," She said, looking at the Kuchiki girl. "Why're you here?"

"Oh, I've been having these really weird dreams lately. I've been doing my best to try and find even the tinyest shred of my family name anywhere... But so far, nothing's come up." Rangiku tilted her head to the side. "Nothing?"

Rukia shook her head. "The only thing I figured out was my great, great, great, great, great grandmother Kazahane was the world-renound Demon Slayer or Priestess." Rukia sighed. "I come from a family of whackjobs."

"Anyways, I'll see you later, Ran." She said, brushing past the strawberry-blond.

And as she left, Rangiku thought about what Rukia said.

_"I come from a family of whackjobs."_

"Sweetie," Rangiku sighed, resting her head in the palm of her hand. "You don't know the half of it."

* * *

"Hmmm.... So, Aizen and Gin bailed?"

A dark figure nodded. And then, in a quiet, raspy voice, it responded, "Yes. And because of that, I lost something very prescious to me. A person. A person I can never live without. The only one left of my family." His partner smiled wickedly. "So, you want me to get this person back, huh?"

"Yes, please do. Grimmjow-kun, I assume you'd want to know what she looks like, so here." The figure said again, lifting a folder, tossing it to the man. The man known as Grimmjow raised a brow. This was a girl. No older than seventeen. She had dark hair, and dark purple eyes.

"Who is she?"

The figure smiled wickedly. And he answered, in a slick voice,

"My daughter."

* * *

"Yoru, do you see Toshirou anywhere?" A jet-lagged Kiyone asked. "Or, at the very least, my sister?" The ride from Tokyo to Karakura took a lot out of you.

Yoruichi shook her head. "No. And should we even be here? It's been years since we last visited. Us just popping up like this... It wouldn't be right. Not after everything they've been through." She sighed, and plopped down on an airport bench.

"It's better than not showing up at all! And besides, I talked to 'Shirou, he said it was okay if we only visited once a year." Kiyone sighed, sitting down next to Yoruichi.

"Yeah, but... Hey! Isn't that your sister?" Yoruichi asked, standing up to get a better view. And sure enought, there was Isane Kotetsu, smiling and waving to the two.

"Isane!" Kiyone yelped, and sprinted out of her chair to hug her sister.

"It's been so long! Where's Toshirou, though? He said he'd meet us here!" Kiyone said, smiling widely.

Isane's grin dissappeared.

"Toshirou, I'm afraid, is sick. _Very _sick."

* * *

**Thx for reading!**

**I have a new vid... footprints in the sand. It's an ICHIRUKI tribute!**

**I'm sorry for doing this to Toshirou, but look at the brightside... it could be an opening for HitsuHina or HitsuKarin!**

**PLEASE REVIEW!!!!**

**TMU**


	5. Young Love

**Omoide**

**Chapter five.**

**HitsuHina AND HitsuKarin in this chapter.**

**Eventually I will have a poll, one to tell me which Hitsu pairing you guys prefer.**

**A very minor OC is introduced. Her name is Hikari Hinamori. She's Momo's older sister.**

**Anyway, I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING USED IN OMOIDE!!**

* * *

**Young Love**

_Maybe I'm to blame  
Or maybe we're the same  
But either way I can't breathe  
Either way I can't breathe_

_All I had to say is goodbye  
We're better off this way  
We're better off this way_

_--**Goodbye **by Secondhand Serenade_

* * *

"He's sick? How _sick_?" Kiyone asked, raising an eyebrow.

"A pretty much life threatening case of pneumonia. Out in the rain practically _all night_." Isane said, releasing her hug from Kiyone. Kiyone looked beyond shocked. "What?! Why?!" Isane sighed tiredly, and looked to Yoruichi. "He... he was found about a mile away from... Kazuri Cemetery."

"So he was visiting _her_." Yoruichi said simply, her eyes softening in understandment.

Isane sighed, guiding the two girls out of the airport, and to her silver porsh parked outside.

"Yep."

* * *

_So it begins._

Rukia groaned loudly from her place on the bed. She pushed her books aside, and started clawing at her head. How could she study if these stupid voices were bugging her every second of every day?!

"Leave me _alone_!"

_"Aww... why? You're hurting my feelings, Ruru. Can't you just ask me who I am? It would be so much easier than going crazy because of it."_

_"Fine!_Who the hell are you?!" Rukia yelled into the empty air.

When she got no response, she sighed heavily. "Oh my god... Maybe craziness is genetic. From my ancestor Kazahane. It's just been skipping generations until now." Rukia concluded quietly, rolling over, onto her stomach.

"Maybe Tatsuki is right... maybe I just am studying too hard." She whispered, closing her textbooks. Suddenly a little white maltese puppy jumped up, onto the bed. Momo's dog. Tobiume. "Why hello, Plum-chan." Rukia said, using the dog's nickname as it licked her hand. "_You _don't think I'm losing it, do you?" The puppy barked once, happily, and started licking Rukia's face.

"I'll take that as a no!" Rukia laughed, rolling onto her back, the little dog's tail wagging rapidly. "Tobiume-chan! Come here, girl!" Momo's voice echoed across the room, and Tobiume's ears perked up, and she ran to where her owner was; the threshold of Rukia's bedroom.

"Hey, Ru." Momo laughed as she picked Tobiume up.

"Hey Momo." Rukia calmed herself down and sat up.

"What'd you want?" Rukia asked, still smiling slightly. Momo smiled and giggled softly. "Inoue-chan and I are headed for the mall. You wanna come too?" Rukia nodded. "Sure thing! Let me just..." But Rukia was cut of by her cellphone ringing.

"Hello?" Rukia asnwered. "Oh, hi, Tatsuki! What's wrong? Did you... _What_?! When?! Okay, good, so he's stable. Yeah, we'll be there. No! We're at the house! Okay, bye." Momo looked at her panicked friend. "Rukia, what's the matter?" Rukia sighed, grabbing her jacket.

"Toshirou's in the hospital."

* * *

Rukia bit her lip.

_"Who said I ever thought it was my fault?"_

Rukia blinked as a voice echoed in her mind. That sounded like... her? It was defiantly her voice, but it sounded as though she was... crying?

_"What'd Inoue want?"  
__"She said it was nothing. She was fidgety, though. She was hiding something."_

Ichigo's voice.

_"Are you sure? Rukia, we're your friends, and we want to know if..."_

Momo?

_"You're..."  
__"Mitsuki. Mitsuki Kuchiki."_

Rukia suddenly felt the urge to scream, but bit her lip, fighting back.

"Rukia?" Rukia sucked in air and turned shakily, and smiled slightly at Momo. "H-how is he?" Rukia stuttered, not daring to move. She felt light-headed and would _not_ risk fainting.

Momo shook her head. "I don't know. They're not accepting any visitors right now..."

"Hinamori-san?" Isane called. "You may see Hitsugaya-kun now."

"Go, Momo." Rukia said reassuringly. "It'll be okay."

Momo nodded happily. "Okay."

* * *

"Toshirou-kun?" Momo asked, walking in the room. Toshirou lay on the bed, cheeks an unhealthy shade of red, and he looked as if he was struggling to stay awake.

"Hinamori-san?" He asked weakly, turning to face her. He scoffed "What're you doin' here?" He tried to sit up, but was pushed back down by Momo. "Don't do that, Toshirou-kun." Toshirou glared. "It's Hitsugaya. No Toshirou, no Whitey-chan, and _especially_not Shirou-chan!" He crossed his arms defiantly.

"I'll ask again; what're you doing here?"

Momo played with the hem of her skirt. "It's just... I wanted to see how you were doing. Tell me Tos- I mean, Hitsugaya-kun, were you... visiting _her_?" Out of everybody, Momo could relate to Toshirou the most. She had felt the pain of losing her sister, Hikari Hinamori. Hikari had died in a plane crash when Momo was twelve years old.

Hikari was only twenty-two.

Then again, that's better than what Toshirou went through. Mitsuki had been _like _a sister to him, and she was barely seventeen when she died. Toshirou had been in an emotional slump for almost a year. According to Yoruichi and Kiyone, he had turned partially suicidal. He kept on ranting on how everyone close to him was dead. It was true though; practically all his family died when he was eight.

Oh, how the good die young.

He nodded slightly. "Of course I was." His voice was raspy. "I was over a month late for the anniversary."

Momo's feet stayed planted to the ground, not daring to move. After about twenty minutes of staring at him sympathetically, she sighed, and left.

But before she closed the door, she whispered, "You know, you don't have to avenge her. Even though it was only for a little while, I knew she wouldn't want that." But before Toshirou could reply, she was gone.

* * *

Momo walked out of the hospital room quickly, not seeing what was in front of her. Her eyes were blurred with tears. Toshirou had never been so cold to her.

That's why she didn't see the person in front of her.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, I... Karin-chan?" Momo looked at the teenager in front of her. "Hello, Hinamori-san. I heard what happened to Hitsugaya-kun, and I just wanted to see how he was doing." Karin said, helping Momo up. "Are you okay? You look like you've been crying!" Karin asked worridly.

Momo looked down. "O-Okay." Momo said, hiding her red eyes before walking away. Karin tilted her head to the side.

"Hinamori-san?"

* * *

Karin poked her head into the hospital room. "Hits-! Hitsugaya-kun!" Karin nearly shouted, her mouth open, watching as Toshirou tried to get out of bed.

"Stop _that_!" Karin scolded, pushing him back down on the bed just like Momo had done. "Are you _trying_ to kill yourself?!" Toshirou blinked, looking up into Karin's furious eyes. A fire was burning in her eyes. A mysterious warmness.

Just like Mitsuki's eyes.

Deep in the dusty dungeons of his mind, he remembered something.

_"Arrgh!" Toshirou groaned as he helped the unknown girl to her feet. "What the heck's wrong with you, lady?! Are you _trying_ to kill yourself?!" The girl glared at him. "No!" She huffed and looked away. "I'm just sick. The flu." She said haghtily, blowing her nose into the Kleenex in her hand. She looked at it and raised an eyebrow. "Ew."_

_"That's gross," Toshirou said dryly. The girl kept glaring at him. "Whatever. I'm Mitsuki. What's your name, brat?" Toshirou glared back. "Well it's a lot better than Mitsuki-- it's a stupid name." Mitsuki smirked. "What are you, five? You're tall enough to be. So, like I said before, what's your name?" Toshirou crossed his arms._

_"Hitsugaya. Toshirou Hitsugaya."_

"Hitsugaya!" Toshirou was snapped out of his thoughts as his name was called.

"I said I'm leaving." Karin said, pointing to the door.

"Oh, okay. Bye." Toshirou said simply.

Karin bit her lip then opened her mouth as if to say something. But she quickly snapped it shut and fast-walked out of the room.

Outside, she spotted Dr. Unohana. "Dr. Unohana!" Karin called out to the doctor. "Oh, hello, Kurosaki-chan." She said sweetly. Karin looked a bit nervouse. "Could you... could you give this to Hitsugaya-kun for me? I know it really doesn't mean much since it came from me, but here." Karin said, slowly handing her a small, red rose.

Unohana took it, and her smile grew wider. "Of course."

Karin mumbled a "Thanks" and left the building.

Unohana smiled to herself as she placed the rose on a sleeping Toshirou's bedside.

"Young love..." She sighed dreamily. "How beautiful."

* * *

**Three Days Later**

"Tell me Tatsuki," Rukia grunted as she put a box down. "Why'd you choose _today_ to clean out the attic? And whay'd you choose me?!" Rukia sighed as she rummaged through the box in front of her. Junk... junk... and more junk. Tatsuki sighed as she dusted the bookshelves. "I was gonna aske Momo, but she's still upset about Toshirou. Inoue on that camping trip with Uryuu, and you were the only one available! You have no love problems, and no boyfriend! It's perfect!"

Rukia put a hand on her hip. "So, you're saying that just because I don't have a love interest, the only thing I have better to do is clean out attics?" Tatsuki winced. "No... not really. And what you just said pretty much screamed "desperatly single". I like the term, 'independent' better."

Rukia sighed again. "Whatever. But why on a Saturday?! You know Saturdays are my Lazy Days!" She groaned, and started wiping down the old katana swords jumbled up in the corner.

Tatsuki sighed and walked over to her. "Shut up and clean the damn swords."

* * *

**Thx for reading!**

**I'm so cruel to Momo... anyway, I'm sure you HitsuKarin lovers are satisfied.**

**PLZ REVIEW!!!**

**-TMU**


	6. Why?

**Omoide**

**Chapter Six.**

**I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING USED IN OMOIDE EXCEPT THE PLOT AND OCS!**

* * *

**Why?**

_Why was I able to run across someone this important?  
Holding on to these fingers that they almost hurt,  
I see the dream that had disappeared into sadness  
Farewell, solitaire_

_**konnani daiji na hito ni doushite meguri aetano to  
itai hodo tsunagu yubi de sabishi sa kienu yume wo miru no  
sayonara solitia**_

_-Sayonara Solitaire from Chrono Crusade_

* * *

"What could they mean?"

Thoughts ran through Rukia's head as she flipped through an old photo album she found up in the attic when she and Tatsuki cleaned it the day before. Rukia sighed. "Aggrh! This doesn't help me at all! They could at least label these pictures! How's anybody supposed to remember these people?!"

She flipped through more pages. "Is this even _my_family? They look nothing like me!" She stopped at a certain page. Birth certificates. Two copies. The names were faded, but Rukia could make one out. "Byakuya..." Rukia whispered in disbelief.

Suddenly, she heard Momo shout from downstairs. "Oi! Rukia, come on! We're goin' out to eat! Hurry up or we'll leave you here with Inoue's cooking!" Rukia could faintly hear Inoue yelling, "Hey!" She smiled slightly. "Okay. I'll..." She cast another glance at the photo album. "Be down in a minute."

She left the album wide open.

* * *

**Kyoto, Japan  
1:47 P.M**

"Roka-sensei!" A young woman, about the age of twenty, called out. She wore a white dress and brown loafers. The standard uniform for the nurses of Kyoto Hospital. Her dark hair was pulled up into a spiky bun, and her name tag read the name, 'Senna'.

"Yes, Senna-chan?" The man known as Roka asked kindly. He was a man who looked like he was in his late forties to early fifties. He had black hair, and dark, almost purple eyes.

Senna smiled slightly at him, and asked concernedly, "Did you try to find them? _Again_? Sir, you know, after all these years... the chances of them _still _living in Kyoto... are slim. They could be anywhere. From Okinawa to New York. California to Hawaii."

Roka's eyes fell. "It's been twenty-one years. And I still remember Rukia and Hisana perfectly." He laughed suddenly, bitterly. "It's all Hikaru's fault, ya know? If she hadn't..."

"Roka-sama!" Another nurse suddenly yelled. The man turned. "What is it, Yumi?" The blond girl known as Yumi looked at her boss, brown eyes blinking happily. "We got a report from Karakura Hosptal. Ya wanna take a look at 'em?"

Roka sighed tiredly.

"Sure."

_"The chances of finding them are slim."_

"I know, Senna. I know."

* * *

"Hello?" Ichigo said into his cell phone.

"Hey, Kurosaki-kun!" Came Inoue's loud voice. "The girl's and I are headin' out to lunch. Wanna join?"

Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "Inoue, its 2:30. Old people are already having dinner. And it depends; is it _just_the girls?" Inoue laughed lightly on the other line. "Its a late lunch. Or an early dinner. Its a linner! Ooh! Or, you could call it a dunch! But that sounds weird... how about-"

"Inoue, get to the point!" Ichigo sighed tiredly. Inoue was such a ditz.

"No. No one else but us. You coming or not?" Ichigo could hear the impatience dripping from her words. "Well Inoue," He started sarcastically, "As much as I'd love to, I can't. Finals are next week and I actually study, unlike _some people_."

Inoue "Hmphed" on the other line. "Well, fine, then! You know, you and Rukia are exactly the same! Both wanting to study instead of doing something fun! I'll see you tomorrow, alright Ich?" Ichigo nodded, even though Inoue couldn't see it. "Bye."

Ichigo had barely gotten two minutes into studying when his phone rang again. "Hello?" He said through grit teeth. The voice on the other end laughed happily. "Is that anyway to treat your favorite cousin?" The woman chirped, and laughed some more.

Ichigo's eyes narrowed. "Senna." He growled out her name. "I don't have time for you. Bye." He was about to hang up, when... "WAIT!" Ichigo put the phone back to his ear. "What?" There was a moment of silence.

"Open your door."

Ichigo looked at his phone incredulously. "What?! Why? Is a giant purple elephant gonna appear and attack me?_ Again_?!"

Senna gasped. "That isn't fair, Ichi! You know as well as I do that _I_ didn't plan that! It was your _dad_! And besides, it was your thirteenth birthday, we had to make it special. Now, OPEN YOUR DOOR NOW!!!"

Ichigo threw his phone on the floor. "Okay, okay..." He put his hand on the door knob and grumbled, "I hate my family. My dad and cousin are psycho, Yuzu is way too nice, and Karin's way to..." He thought for a minute. "Like me."

Ichigo shrugged, and opened his door. "Ichi!" And then he was tackled to the ground, his twenty-year old cousin straddling him. "Ichi! Hi! Oh my goodness, look at you! You're so tall! Probably taller than me! We haven't seen each other since we were what, fourteen?" Ichigo pushed her off.

Senna smiled joyfully. "So, this is your place, huh? Its a dump. Then again, it _is _inhabited by a member of the male species." She whistled lowly. "Ya know, this drab old apartment would look so much better if you had a splash of hot pi-"

"Don't even think about it."

Senna pouted. "You're no fun." Ichigo glared harder at his cousin. "And_ you're _annoying_._" She smiled gleefully. "I know. It comes from your dad's side of the family. I'm his sister's daughter, remember? Then again, I saw that family tree you made in third grade," She looked at him. "It was pitiful."

Ichigo groaned. "Sen, not that I'm not _thrilled_ to see you, but what're you doing here?"

Senna shrugged. "I _was_ in Kyoto, working as a nurse. And..."

"Already? You're already a nurse?" Senna nodded. "Yup! I thought I told you, I graduated last year! Ha, I geuss it just slipped my mind!" Ichigo looked at her, disbelief in his eyes. "You know, for someone smart enough to graduate med school at nineteen, you're pretty stupid."

Senna rolled her eyes. "_Like _I was saying, I was in Kyoto, but then your dad called my boss, Dr. Roka Kusaka, who told him to send me out to Karakura to..."

"Wait wait wait," Ichigo said suddenly, cutting Senna off. "Did you say, 'Kusaka?"

The dark-haired woman nodded.

"Yeah. Why?"

* * *

It was almost 2AM when Rukia, Inoue, Momo, and Tatsuki finally got home.

Momo and Inoue were passed out in the back seat, while Tatsuki was just drunk. Rukia was the only sober one, thus the responsible driver.

She looked at her friends and groaned, contemplating on weather to leave them in the car and have there hangovers kill them in the morning, or be a good friend and break her back hauling them into the house.

Rukia sighed. She made up her mind.

"Bye, guys."

* * *

**End of ch. 6.**

**In case you guys are confused, here's a little family tree thingy.**

**Byakuya and Mitsuki:  
Parents:  
****Mom: Tsukiko Kuchiki  
Dad: Kaitou Kuchiki  
Stepmom: Hikaru**

**Hisana and Rukia:  
Parents:  
Mom: Hikaru Kusaka  
Dad: Roka Kusaka**

**Hope that helped!**

**And YES Senna is Ichigo's cousin.  
I like her character, so I wanted to put her in the story,  
just not pose her as a threat to Ichigo and Rukia's relationship.**

**-TMU**


	7. Why Would She Care?

**Omoide**

**Chapter Seven.**

**I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING USED IN OMOIDE EXCEPT THE PLOT AND OCS!**

* * *

**Why Would She Care?**

_To be together once more this weekend...  
God, please grant me a happy end.  
In the present, past, and future,  
I'll be completely devoted to you._

_I can't forget that dear look in your eyes  
when we first met._

**_-- Moonlight Densetsu (AKA Miracle Romance)_**

* * *

_"Otousan! Why are you doing this? I don't really like this lady. Her kids are nice, but I don't like her. She's _way _too strict." A little girl whined. "Can't you forget about getting re-married?"_

_Her brother stayed silent, while the father sighed. "I love her, sweetie. You've got to understand that. Here they come now. Be on your best behaviour." The little girl sighed and put on her best fake smile. The woman who walked up had a sweet smile, and she looked slightly nervous. "Ohayou," She spoke softly. "These are my daughters. Hisana and Rukia." She introduced them._

_Mitsuki smiled and grabbed Byakuya's hand, much to her brother's displeasure. "Hi!" She chirped to the new girls. Rukia greeted her back with equal enthusiasm, while Hisana opted for a quiet, "Hello,". Byakuya blinked at Hisana, trying to ignore the pink dusting his cheeks. Mitsuki giggled._

_"Rukia is adorable!" Mitsuki cooed, ruffling the girl's hair. "How old is she?" Rukia smiled proudly. "Four and a half."_

_Mitsuki giggled._

_"How cute!"_

* * *

Rukia groaned. Another flash. She was starting to get sick of them. They gave her major headaches, did absolutely nothing for her memory, and they had her looking like a freak with her moans of pain afterward.

"Kuchiki-san? Are you feeling well?" Yui Hosashika, the professor, asked, looking up from her book. "Do you need to go home?" Tatsuki, who was sitting next to Rukia nodded to her friend. Rukia sighed. "No, I'm okay." Yuki shrugged, and went back to her reading, looking at the Kuchiki girl every now and then, casting worried glances.

Tatsuki sighed at Rukia's stubbornness. Sometimes it really annoyed her. "I'll be fine," Rukia reassured, noticing Tatsuki's reaction. "I promise."

Tatsuki nodded. "If you say so."

**oO-OooO-Oo****oO-OooO-Oo****oO-OooO-Oo**

Grimmjow watched as Rukia exited the school, Momo, Inoue, and Tatsuki sticking to her like a nail to wood.

Two weeks.

The teal-haired Jaggerjack had been spying on the nineteen year old Kuchiki for two weeks. All for money given to him by a Mr. Kaitou Kuchiki. Grimmjow, in short, was not a very nice man. He had killed and kidnapped. He had made sure people went missing and stayed like that. He had done all these things, but that didn't mean he didn't regret it.

He was cruel, cold hearted, and showed no mercy. But this girl, this raven-haired college student, who laughed and made jokes and had so many friends, was making him regret his decision. Hell, he regretted it the minute he saw her picture.

Grimmjow gulped. All his victims had been over the age of twenty-five.

Not Rukia. Rukia was his first... _job_ that was still in _college_. She had many regrets to come. Who was he to stop her?

Grimmjow quirked an eyebrow as Rukia broke away from her friends and waved to someone.

A boy.

He had bright orange hair, and a scowl that immediately softened upon seeing Rukia.

Grimmjow smirked slightly, turning and walking back to his car.

He had to report to Kaitou.

**************oO-OooO-Oo****oO-OooO-Oo****oO-OooO-Oo**

Rukia smiled upon seeing Ichigo, and frowned a little upon seeing the girl stuck to his side.

Senna tilted her head to the side. "Ich, is that a friend of yours?" Ichigo nodded. "Yep, that's Rukia." Senna smiled. "Really? Well, then, don't tell her I'm your cousin." Ichigo quirked an eyebrow. "Why?" Senna scoffed, "Because I don't want anyone knowing I'm related to _you_." She stuck her tongue out. "Why you little-"

"Hello, Ichigo." Rukia said, cutting Ichigo off. "Who's your friend?"

Ichigo smiled awkwardly. Why did Rukia sound so _mad_? "Th-this is Senna. An old friend. She used to live next door to me..." Rukia's smile widened to an almost creepy level. This scared Ichigo even more. "Really? Well, it's nice to meet you, Senna-chan." Rukia shook the other girls' hand.

After a moment of silence, she spoke up. "Well, I should get going before Momo and Inoue blow the house up. Tatsuki can't do everything, ya know? See you guys later!" Senna and Ichigo waved goodbye as Rukia walked away.

Then... "I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!" Senna cheered. "WHAT?!" Ichigo shouted in suprise. "She _likes _you Ich, and I mean really _likes_! If she didn't she wouldn't get so jealous of you and I walking together!" Ichigo looked at Senna like she grew a second head. "Yeah right,"

"Sen, you're crazy."

**oO-OooO-OooO-OooO-OooO-OooO-Oo**

"Hey Tatsuki," Rukia asked her spiky-haired friend later that night, "You've known Ichigo for, like, forever, right?" Tatsuki nodded, "Yeah, pretty much. Why? Something goin' on between you two?" She asked through a mouthful of chips. They were in front of the couch, watching a horror movie.

"Is there?" Momo asked, suddenly interested at the prospect of something going on between her best guy-friend and her best girl-friend. "Yeah, is there, Rukia?" Inoue added her two cents.

"No," Rukia said, giggling at her friends' sudden interest in her personal life.

"But," She bit her lip. Should she really ask? It could've been nothing, after all Ichigo never really showed a _real _interest in girls. Why would Rukia care, anyway? Ichigo was just a friend, and this Senna girl seemed really nice.

But Rukia had to know.

"Have you ever heard of a girl named Senna, Tatsuki?"

Tatsuki closed her eyes in thought. "No, I don't think so. Why do you ask?" She finally said after a few minutes of silence.

Rukia sighed in defeat. "Oh, okay. Um, no reason. I just wanted to ask. Let's get back to the movie, okay?"

Tatsuki nodded, turning her attention back to the movie in front of her.

**oO-OooO-OooO-OooO-OooO-OooO-Oo**

"And where do you think you're going, mister?" Unohana asked with a raised eyebrow. The normally kind woman had a foot tapping and a displeased look on her face.

Toshirou turned swiftly and glared at the doctor. "Out."

Unohana shook her head. "No you aren't. It's a little under fifty degrees. Didn't you read the diagnoses? You have _pneumonia_. It's back to bed for you." Unohana said, pushing Toshirou back into his room.

"But..."

"Goodnight, Hitsugaya-kun," Unohana said, finality lacing her voice. "I'll see you in the morning."

**oO-OooO-OooO-OooO-OooO-OooO-Oo**

**End of chapter seven.**

**I know, very short and filler-ish.**

**I update every other day it seems, so it should be okay.**

**Please review! It'll make me work faster!**

**--TMU**


	8. Not His Girlfriend

**Omoide**

**Chapter eight.**

**I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING USED IN OMOIDE EXCEPT THE PLOT AND OCS!**

**I also don't own Charmed.**

* * *

**Not His Girlfriend**

_Escaping into nights, I told myself  
That I was not at all alone  
But after all, it revealed  
Nothing but my loneliness day by day_

_On my way home from the bustle of the city  
Though it was no different from any other day  
I thought I would repeat such pattern of life  
And tears welled up suddenly_

_Feeling weak and wretched  
Uneasy and lonely  
I wanted some warmth  
In a faint voice_

**_--Angel's Song by Ayumi Hamasaki_**

* * *

Rukia smiled as she remembered her night. She and the girls had been able to kick off Summer Break by going to Kaze, a local Restaurant and bar. Momo's uncle owned the place, so the girl's knew it was safe. They knew practically all the staff, and all the regulars.

In Karakura Town, there was really no legal drinking age. The way everyone saw it, as soon as anyone turned eighteen, they were their own person. No parents could tell them right from wrong, no one could lecture them. Well, they could, but the kids didn't have to listen.

The party had started just a mere forty-eight hours before.

_Rukia weaved her way through the crowds of dancing couples and waiters. Music blasted from the speakers on stage, and Rukia suddenly found herself looking at three good-looking men. She couldn't say they were handsome, but they were good looking._

_They just had horrible pick-up lines._

_"Baby, are your parents terrorists? 'Cause let me just say, you're the bomb." One man, with spiky blond hair and bright pink eyes said lamely. _

_Another man with slightly darker skin and dark hair asked, "Hey, Haizo, ask if it hurt when she fell." Rukia cocked her head. "Excuse me?" He grinned toothily at her. "When you fell, did it hurt? Cause I know an angel when I see one."_

_Rukia smiled devilishly and whispered into the man's ear; "I'm no angel, far from it, really. Truth be told, people tell me I'm quite the little _witch._" She pulled back. "But thanks for the compliment." She winked and walked away._

_She soon spotted her three best friends sitting at a table all laughing. "Hey guys." Rukia sighed. "What's with Momo?" Tatsuki and Inoue looked at their friend in confusion. "Mo? Hey, Momo! What's the matter, kid?" Momo sighed in depression. "They've been going at it for nearly an hour." She sighed, pointing to a kissing couple in a corner of the restaurant._

_"Oh, god." Rukia looked away, disgusted. __"I can't even watch..." Tatsuki said sadly. "I wish I had a beau."_

_Inoue sighed dreamily. "Yeah. Not everyone can be as lucky as me..." She was rewarded with three celery sticks pelting her in the face, straight from the girls' bloody Mary's. __"Showoff." Momo scoffed as a waitress walked up. __"Hey, Rose." Rukia said, the first to notice the red-haired woman. __"Hi, Rose." The rest of the girls chirped._

_Rose used to live in America, but her family lived in Karakura. She was originally from Okinawa, but her father was American, and he had decided on the American name Rose. She had inherited her mother's blood red hair, long and silky, and her father's sea foam green eyes. She was almost twenty-two._

_"Hey guys," She smiled, her sea foam green orbs shimmering with warmth, and set down the drinks. Three sake's and a tall glass of red wine. Rukia blinked. "Uh, Rose, I think you made a mistake, I didn't order this drink."_

_The woman smiled kindly and shook her head. "No mistake," She turned and pointed. "_He _ordered it for you." She pointed to a man with light teal hair and dark eyes. He smiled at the group of girls, eyes landing on Rukia. He was very handsome. "I don't know his name," Rose murmured, "But he sure is cute." She collected the empty glasses. "Should I take it back?"_

_Rukia hesitated. Then..._

_"Could you? And tell him I'm flattered, really I am, I just don't want to give him the wrong idea. I don't really think I'm ready to have that kind of relationship yet."_

Rukia sighed sadly as she walked on, ignoring the stares of the people passing by. "I should've taken the drink," She muttered darkly, as if it was the answer to everything. "I need to face reality, I'm not getting any younger. I'm already nineteen and in college, never once having a boyfriend. Well, none I can remember anyways." She added as an after thought.

It was a cold Tuesday afternoon, and it looked as if it would rain. Thunder boomed in the far-off distance, and lightlning flashed briefly. It was suprising, especially for a summer in Karakura. It was surprising, but not unheard of.

"Look at those storm clouds," A man whispered to his girlfriend. "No wonder the cat didn't want to go outside today; it looks like it's really gonna come down!" Karakura was a normally sunny place, so it made sense that people were surprised.

But Rukia didn't care. She didn't care when it started raining cats and dogs, or when the entire block cleared out for the shelter of houses, shops, office buildings, or even cars. She just dragged her feet along empty streets until she heard a voice.

"Rukia? Rukia! You idiot! What are you doing out here in the middle of the street when its pouring rain? You know, sometimes I think you _try_to kill yourself." Ichigo. "Why does it matter to you on what I do? Its my life, I'll do what I want with it! If I want to die from the flu, I can damn..." She was cut off as she started coughing violently.

And then, one second, she was on the sidewalk, the next she was in Ichigo's car, breathing heavily while glaring at him. "You better hope you didn't get pneumonia like Toshirou. Because if you die, I'll never forgive you." Ichigo laughed humorlessly.

Rukia stayed silent.

---------------------------------------------

"Is she okay, Ich?" Senna asked, worry dripping from her voice. "You want me to go check on her? Call 911? What should we do? What was she doing out in the rain anyway? And with no umbrella? _Or_ jacket?" Senna, no matter what the problem, could never quite figure out how to deal with situations like this.

"She's fine, Senna. No need to get so worried." Ichigo reassured his energetic cousin. This brought back many memories from his childhood. He remembered the time he got the flu when Senna's family was visiting. Poor Senna was overcome with grief, getting this crazy idea Ichigo would die from the flu.

"Anyway, I'll see you tonight, kay Ich?" Ichigo looked at her incredulously. "Why?! Where are you going?!" Senna smiled. "Its my first night back. I want to go out. See Rose and Oyasumi again. Its been so long! Please, just for one night." She pleaded. "Okay, go." Ichigo finally said after a while. "Thanks cuz, you're the best!" She winked at him and bolted out, but not before shouting,

"I don't wanna be here when you're _little girlfriend_ wakes up anyway!"

Ichigo blushed. "SHE IS NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!!"

---------------------------------------------

"Thanks, 'Sumi." Senna thanked her friend for what would be her fourth shot that night. The purplette looked to her left and smirked. "Still playing messenger, neh, Rose?" Senna looked at her friend. "Who's the reciever now?" Rose smiled. "You." She handed her the wine glass. "I see. So who's the bastard?" Oyasumi snickered. "Him." She pointed at the same man who tried to give Rukia a drink just two nights before.

"Cute." Senna decided, smirking. "Really cute."

She stood up, and due to the alcohol in her system, _stumbled _over to the man named Grimmjow.

"Hi, my name's Senna."

---------------------------------------------

Rukia groaned, covering her eyes as a light blinded her. "Am I dead?" She whispered tiredly.

"No, just really, really sick." A voice responded.

Rukia sat up, ignoring her headache. "Ichigo?" said orange-head nodded, smirking. "You were out for a while almost five hours." Rukia's eyes widened. "Really? All from being out in the rain for only twenty minutes?" Ichigo nodded. "Yep. You'd be surprised with what a flu can do to a person."

Rukia clicked her tongue in boredom. "So, what's your diagnoses, doc? Can I get up yet or not?" Ichigo smirked. Just as impatient as always. "Not unless you need to go to the bathroom. If you're hungry or thirsty, tell me."

Rukia pouted. "Fine, killjoy." Ichigo shook his head. "Its not like you can leave, anyways." Rukia was up at that. "What do you mean 'I can't leave'?" Ichigo looked at her, an evil glint in his honey-glazed eyes. "The roads are flooded from that storm. No one can get out." Rukia's jaw dropped. "You're kidding me! So I have to stay _here_?" Ichigo's smile widened. "Afraid so."

And as he thought of what he said, a thought passed Ichigo's mind.

_"Where's Senna?"_

---------------------------------------------

**Chapter eight is done.**

**Where's Senna? Why's Grimmjow a regular at Kaze? Are you guys happy that Rukia and Ichigo are stuck together alone in a house? Why the HELL am I asking you guys these pointless yet meaningful questions?!**

**Anyway, I'll see you people next chapter.**

**PLZ REVIEW!!!!**

**--TMU**


	9. Of Roommates and Headaches

**Omoide**

**Chapter Nine.**

**I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING USED IN OMOIDE EXCEPT THE PLOT AND OCS!**

* * *

**Of Roommates and Headaches**

_Some hearts  
They just get all the right breaks  
Some hearts have the stars on their side  
Some hearts,  
They just have it so easy  
Some hearts just get lucky sometimes  
Some hearts just get lucky, lucky sometimes_

_Now who'd have thought someone like you could love me  
You're the last thing my heart expected  
Who'd have thought I'd ever find somebody  
Someone who someone who makes me feel like this  
Well I guess_

**_--_Some Hearts by Carrie Underwood**

* * *

_"I never said "goodbye" because, I had this odd feeling that I would somehow see you again. I thought you would remember me, but I guess you didn't. You can't even remember those close to you correctly, can you? Not even the person who loves you more than life itself, maybe even loves you more than Hisana, Byakuya, or I. Your story, Rukia, is a tale of depression. Of friendship. Of pain, of suffering. Of memories, and most importantly, of love. You and your soul mate, you met again. You said 'Hello'. And now, we must say 'goodbye.' But Rukia, we miss you. All of us." The voice paused,_

_"We really do."_

Rukia sucked in a sharp breath.

"What's wrong? Headache?" Ichigo asked concernedly.

Rukia kept her hand on her head, not responding for a few minutes. "Yeah... Headache. I guess this flu is worse than I thought," She laughed humorlessly, shifting on the bed. Ichigo handed her a bottle. "Aspirin?" Rukia shook her head. "No thanks, Ich. Its not that bad. It'll probably go away in a few minutes." She tried to reassure him, waving her hand dismissively.

"I'm fine, seriously!" She smiled reassuringly, and layed down to get more rest.

"Okay..." Ichigo sighed. He never won his battles with Rukia. What made him think he would start now? "Goodnight." Rukia didn't answer. Ichigo was about to scream at her for ignoring him, until he heard a little snort. He smiled. She was asleep. "Like I said, goodnight." He whispered into her ear, kissing her on the cheek. He was tempted to plant another kiss on her mouth, but decided better of it.

He never missed the smile that crossed her face.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ah!" Momo gasped, jolting up in bed. "Shirou-chan..." She breathed. Toshirou and Momo hadn't talked since the night at the hospital. And the young Hinamori was, to say the least, depressed. "I should just give it up. Karin likes Shirou. I should just accept it." She sighed, burying her face in her hands. Unknown to Karin and Unohana, Momo had seen the little exchange between the two. The rose, Toshirou...

She could remember it like it happened yesterday.

_Momo had forgotten her cell phone at the front desk, and was currently walking up to the station to retrieve it when she heard a voice._

_Karin._

_She was talking to someone. Who? It was female, soft, and distinctly familiar._

_Unohana._

_Momo had thought nothing of the conversation. She may have loved to gossip, but she never got into people's business. That was Matsumoto and Inoue's job. Momo had her heart in the right place, not trying to listen, but her mouth was just a little too much to control sometimes._

_"Could you give this to Hitsugaya-kun for me? _I_know it really doesn't mean much since it came from me, but here." Karin said, taking out a small rose, handing it to Unohana. The younger Kurosaki had a rosy blush painted over her cheeks, and she was smiling slightly._

_Momo's heart broke._

_The brown-haired Hinamori had felt something for Toshirou since they met, all those years ago. Although it was in vain. In the end, it was just an unrequited love. And apparently, Karin felt something, too._

_"Of course, Karin-chan." Unohana's voice. And at that moment, Momo knew she wouldn't be able to stick around any more. _

_She bolted._

_She fled, not looking back. She couldn't face Karin, couldn't face Toshirou, couldn't even face Unohana. How could she? Everytime she would, she would most likely see the girl who loved the man _she_ loved, and the man she loved but could never have._

_The man she _knew _would never love her back._

"I need some air..." Momo whispered into the empty air. She got out of bed, slipping on her bunny-slippers, quietly tip-toeing out as to not wake up Tobiume, who was asleep at the foot of her bed.

Momo stepped into the living room, and stopped.

_Pitter-pat._

_Pitter-pat._

Rain. There was no way in hell she'd be able to go outside now.

She sighed and jogged up the stairs to her room. On her way there, she passed Rukia's door, and noticed it was open a crack. _Rukia never leaves her door open..._Momo thought suspiciously. The Hinamori walked over to her friend's door, and opened it slowly. The light was on, and no one was inside. It was almost 4:00 AM. Momo panicked. What if something bad happened?!

"Tatsuki!! Orihime!!"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Momo, you're overreacting. Rukia's been on one-nighters before, its nothing to get so worked up about. She'll be back in time for breakfast, I'm sure." Tatsuki muttered tiredly, not at all happy she was being dragged out of bed at four in the morning just because Rukia was out doing something late at night.

"But what if she's not!" Inoue cut in, "She could've been kidnapped! Murdered! Maybe even in an accident!" Tatsuki looked at Inoue. The buxom girl _did _have a point, but Rukia was a fighter. She would never go down alone. And even if she did, there would _still _be a pretty big bruise left behind.

"Orihime, I highly doubt it. Rukia went to Kaze, and I know Rose would never let that happen. Murdered? Rukia would murder the man who tried to murder _her_. And you can rule out any accidents, we would have heard about it by now." Tatsuki said, yawning. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to sleep for another four hours at the _least_."

She left, leaving behind two very worried girls.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Okay, what do you bastards want with me?" Senna ground through clenched teeth.

"Now, now, Senna, was it? You don't have to be so hostile." Grimmjow said, smirking. Senna stuck her tongue out.

"We don't want you, but rather, your cousin and his little _friend_..." Senna's eyes widened. "Why?! What did they ever do to you guys?!"

The figure next to Grimmjow laughed maniacally. "You have no idea..."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

__

"Blown by the wind that started moving, A pinwheel begins spinning. The colors of our wings melt into one. Because it'll become the bond that connects us Beaten upon by the cold rain, you stand still You laughed forlornly In my young hands, there's a world that is too powerless I don't want to lose it anymore."

Ichigo felt a pang in his chest. "Hey Rukia, where'd you learn that song?" Rukia looked down. "I don't... I don't know... I just... knew it, from before, I guess. I didn't remember it from a flash. Its just one of those few things that come back to me after a while..." She sighed.

"You... would give anything, to remember, huh?" Rukia nodded slowly. "But its okay, there are some things I'd rather not remember! Like, Hisana and my mother's deaths. And, maybe even who Mitsuki and Byakuya are. I keep thinking its for the better, to remember, but I also think that it could be bad, too. After all, we don't even know who they were."

There was that pain again. The pain of seeing Rukia's confused look. Ichigo had lied to her for almost four years. One would think he'd be used to it, but no. He was far from being used to it. Sometimes, he wonndered if he should just out and tell Rukia everything. Fill in the blanks.

But he couldn't. Not unless he wanted to keep his head, that is.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

**END CHAPTER NINE.**

**I've been getting told that I've been drifting away from the storyline a little. **

**I realize that, and I'm sorry if they seem filler-ish. **

**I'll work on it, I promise! **

**Anyways, people who wanted GrimmxSenna, that might happen if I have enough people supporting it.**

**ANYWAY, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**--Tsuki M. Uchiha**


	10. The Truth Part of it, Anyway

**Omoide**

**Chapter ten.**

**I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING USED IN OMOIDE EXCEPT THE PLOT AND OCS!**

* * *

**The Truth... Part of it, Anyway.**

_I guess it's gonna have to hurt,  
I guess I'm gonna have to cry,  
And let go of some things I've loved,  
To get to the other side,  
I guess it's gonna break me down,  
Like falling when you try to fly,  
It's sad, but sometimes moving on with the rest of your life,  
Starts with goodbye._

_I know there's a blue horizon,  
Somewhere up ahead, just waiting for me,  
Getting there means leaving things behind,  
Sometimes life's so bittersweet._

**_--Starts With Goodbye_ by Carrie Underwood**

* * *

"So you're okay?" Momo urgently asked through the phone.

_"Yes, yes, I am! What did you guys think? That I was kidnapped and murdered or something?" _Momo sweat dropped. "Well... Inoue said..."

_"You know what? Don't answer." _Rukia cut Momo off. _"Just tell everyone I'm okay, and should be back once the roads re-open." _Rukia sighed out, and hung up.

Momo smiled. At least she knew Rukia was okay, from how impatient she was. "Orihime! Tatsuki!" She screeched, a smile plastered against her face. "I have good news! Rukia's okay! I talked to her! 'Hime, you were wrong, she's okay!" Momo was so happy, she practically _skipped _up to her friends' bedrooms.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Are you okay?" Ichigo asked, looking at Rukia.

"Yeah. My friends are complete and total morons, but yeah, I'm okay." She shrugged. Ichigo laughed.

"You're just now figuring that out?" She smirked. "Yes. Yes I am." She yawned. "I'm goin' back to bed. Good night." Ichigo smiled. "Ah... _Morning._" He corrected. Rukia turned. "What?" He smiled a bit more sheepishly. "Morning. Its almost 9:00 AM." He laughed.

She got a blank look on her face. "Oh."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**May 29, three years ago  
(DREAM)**

_"Ah!" Rukia yelped as she was thrown to the ground. "Bastard..." She growled at the man in front of her. Said man smirked. "Now, now, is that any way to talk to the man responsible for reuniting you with your sister?" He smiled sadistically. Rukia's eyes widened._

_"What do you mean? Hisana's been dead for years!" She shouted in frustration. "She's dead!" Kaitou clicked his tongue. "Yes, its true. Little Hisa is dead, but what about Mimi? Isn't she alive?" Rukia choked on air. _

_"E-excuse me? Mimi? You mean Mitsuki?" She stuttered, her eyes holding a dull hope. "The very same," The man laughed. "Turn around." He said simply, smiling sickly. Rukia let her eyes wander and her head turn slowly. She gasped. _

_There, covered in blood and quite possibly tears, was what Rukia guessed was Mitsuki Kuchiki. "No..." Mitsuki smiled weakly. Kaitou pulled out a knife. "Please, stop it..." Kaitou didn't listen. "I'm gonna kill her just like I did Byakuya..." He smiled. Mitsuki was sobbing. He was smiling. Slash! A large wound appeared on her left arm. Hack! One on her right leg._

_"STOP IT!"_

_"Rukia!"_

_All of a sudden, Rukia wasn't trapped in a dungeon with the crazy man and her supposed sister, but in a large, green field. "Wake up, sweetie, wake up." Hisana. She stood in the middle of the field, sakura petals flying around her. "You have to remember." She whispered. "Please. Ask-"_

_And then, as quickly as it started, it was over. Rukia then stood on a misty lake, Mitsuki standing in front of her, smiling broadly. "Like 'Sana said, Ru, remember. Ask your pal, Ichigo. He's a sweet kid, he'll tell you about your past. Just so long as you promise you'll never rip his head from his shoulders." The obsidian-haired girl giggled. "Bye!"_

_"I'm getting sick of this..." Rukia grumbled as she appeared in a mountainous area. "Where am.." "Hello Rukia." A voice interrupted. Her eyes widened. "Byakuya?" The figure nodded. "Go to the attic. Somewhere, there is a trunk. Its blue, with a gold lock. It should be open. If not," He looked at her. "You're screwed."_

Amythest eyes open.

Rukia sat up and nodded, as if in understanding. "Byakuya was right. I AM screwed." She groaned, and threw her head back onto her pillow. "Damn it..."

"Rukia?" She heard Ichigo call. _Ichigo_. "Yes?" She called back, not moving. "What is it?" She heard footsteps, and he walked up next to her. "The roads are clear. You can leave anytime." Rukia smiled. "Okay. I'll leave... right after I ask you something." She said, making him sit down at the edge of the bed.

"Okay... What is it?" She took a deep breath. "Ichigo. I know you know more than you're telling me. About my past. You know about me... I know it. Tell me everything you know, I _promise_I won't murder you." She said pleadingly. Ichigo's mouth was open. Where had _this _come from?

Maybe it was time. He had done this to protect her. But... no one had seen hide nor tail of Kaitou for nearly three years. It would most likely be safe. Rukia had to know. And, after much hesitation, told her.

Everything.

Well, almost everything.

"All I can tell you is your life before fifteen. We... we sorta lied about your past." He said. It was probably good, for her just to know about the abuse. Her family. Not about him. Not yet, anyway. "All I know is that your mother Hikaru married this guy Kaitou, who had two kids; Byakuya and Mitsuki. Byakuya was pretty cold, reserved. Mitsuki was... to say the least, his opposite." He laughed lightly.

She smiled. She finally knew who they were. Not at all happy that she was lied to, but she was happy that she finally knew the truth.

"Mitsuki had leukemia." The words hit her like a speeding bullet. "Is...Is that how she died?" Rukia asked in a hoarse voice. "Part of it," He answered softly. She held back the tears. Tears for a girl she hardly remembers. Hardly _knew_. "I see," She chokes on her words. "What else?"

"Your mother," He cleared his throat, "Died when you were about three. Gunshot." Rukia's eyes widened, but she didn't speak. "Afterwards, your father started abusing you." He said it like there was a frog in his throat. There probably was. "Soon after that, Mitsuki was forced to run away. For her _condition_. She wanted to take you guys. But couldn't." His words sounded sympathetic.

They most likely were.

"Hisana committed suicide when you were twelve, I think. Maybe younger." Somehow, it didn't seem like it surprised Rukia. Like she anticipated something horrible. She was right. "And finally, when you were fifteen, Kaitou killed Byakuya, who was protecting you. You ran away after that."

That's when she let the tears fall.

Sobs racked her body. She couldn't see, couldn't hear. Her senses had been shut off. All she could do was cry. Cry and be held. Ichigo had his arms wrapped around her, rocking her back and forth. He knew telling her was a bad idea. But deep down, he knew that it made her happy. To know the truth.

"Ichigo..." She whimpered, sobbing a little, "Thank you...."

All Ichigo could do was nod. "Anytime, Ru."

She sobs at the nickname.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Its nearly midnight when Senna returns to her cousin's apartment. Her heart is heavy with guilt. Her job was simple: Get Ichigo and Rukia down to the old beach house.

Yes. _That _beach house.

But she couldn't do it. Not ever. She knew she had to find a way to get them out of Karakura, but how?

She sighed and threw her keys down on the counter. She took of her coat, and put it in the closet, heading for the guest room.

She opened the door, and smiled at the sight before her. Ichigo and Rukia-- asleep, and holding hands.

_How cute! _Senna thought and giggled, closing the door to let them have their privacy.

For tonight, she'd sleep on the couch.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rukia thanked Ichigo as she left the apartment.

"I appreciate it. Now I finally know my past... Some of it, anyway. Ichigo... I have one more thing to ask. How did you know about my life before... You know..."

Ichigo put on a small, fake smile. "You told me a few weeks before... you know." She smiled. "At least I had someone I could trust." She winked and left.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"RUKIA!" Inoue and Momo cried out in surprise when the door burst open, Rukia flying up the stairs.

"Rukia, what's going on?" Tatsuki asked, looking at the obsidian-haired girl.

"I've got a lead!" She yelped as she ran up the second flight of stairs.

The three other girls looked at each other.

"On what?" They asked in unison.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**NEW CHAPPIE IS DONE!**

**K, listen up guys, 'cause I'm only gonna say this once. I may not be able to update for a week, maybe two. Life's just getting really complicated, with school and everything. I may even be looking at a month of Summer School because of my poor math grade. *sigh* My life sucks. Anyway, long updates for a while. SORRY!!**

**AGAIN, SORRY, AND PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**--TMU**


	11. A Crazy Little Thing We Call Love

**Omoide**

**Chapter eleven.**

**I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING USED IN OMOIDE EXCEPT THE PLOT AND OCS!**

* * *

**A Crazy Little Thing We Call Love**

_Just one thing doesn't change  
That dream I painted  
How did I appear as I am now  
In my young eyes back then_

_Hey, look up at it,  
it's such a vast night sky  
So that soon, so that you understand  
You will shine at your best soon so hurry  
Look for the FULL MOON  
_**_tatta hitotsu kawaranai mono  
zutto egaiteta yume  
ima no jibun wa dou utsuru no?  
ano koro no chiisana hitomi ni_**

_nee miagete  
konna ni hiroi yozora dakara  
sou sugu ni wakaru you ni  
sei-ippai kagayaku kara hayaku  
FURUMU-N wo sagashite_

**_--New Future by Myco_**

_

* * *

_

Rukia panted as she jerked the door of the attic open. She briefly wondered if she should look for this elusive blue trunk, she had never seen it before.

Footsteps echoed through the fourth floor of the house, then the attic door flew open. Tatsuki, Momo, and Inoue stepped in. "Rukia," Tatsuki started. "What's going on? Where were you? What do you have a lead on?" Rukia wasn't listening, though. Instead, she was running around the attic, throwing random things about the room; books, scarves, a lamp, etc.

"Tatsuki!" Rukia yelled suddenly, "Did you see a trunk around here when we were cleaning out the attic a couple weeks ago? Its blue, with a gold lock." Tatsuki gave her an incredulous look. "Yes, I did see something like that, its in the basement, but that doesn't answer my-"

"Thanks!" Rukia yelled, sprinting out of the room and to the basement.

Inoue, Momo, and Tatsuki groaned as they followed her out.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rukia stopped in front of the trunk. It looked old; very old.

She carefully pulled up the top of the trunk and smiled. It was open.

She let go of the breath she never realized she was holding as she pulled out what looked like a letter. She opened it carefully, ignoring her friends' sudden questions.

An address.

With a note.

Odd. Rukia tilted her head to the side. Who put this here?

_Kyoto, Japan  
5094 Arashi Street_

_Your road ends here.  
Things you wondered even AFTER you lost your memories, will be clear.  
Just ask the person here.  
And remember,  
Love will always find a way.  
Because,  
To Live is to Love,  
and to Love is to Live._

_Love,_

_B. Kuchiki  
M. Kuchiki  
H. Kuchiki_

_Rukia blinked._

Love? Love _who_?

Then, she smiled. She knew who. But how did the letter...?

Rukia shook her head, choosing not to answer these qustions.

It didn't matter. Everything would be clear.

Everything would be all right.

According to this note, everything would be okay.

...Right?

_----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_"Don't you think you're a little too old for bedtime stories, Rukia? I mean, you're almost nine, shouldn't you..."_

_"Please? Nee-chan, this is my last night of being eight! Do it as an early birthday wish! Please?!" Rukia whined. Hisana sighed. There was no pleasing her. The older girl turned to her stepbrother. "Do you know any good stories?"_

_Byakuya thought. He never was the one to tell stories of knights and dragons, princes and princesses. But he could try._

_"There was the one my mother used to tell Mitsuki and I." Hisana smiled in understanding. "Could you...?"_

_Byakuya groaned softly. "Fine." He inched closer to Rukia, and forced out what Hisana supposed was a smile. Maybe. "Okay... This story is called Joukaihime" He really wasn't used to this, she could tell by his eyes, and by the way he stuttered. _

_"Uh... Long ago, dragons lived in the sky, Where there was a dragon princess of heaven, who one day, fell in love with a mortal man. But it was a forbidden romance. They tried to be together, but couldn't. The princess' father killed the man, making the princess very sad. In her grief, the dragon princess caused snow to fall, to cover all the earth in white. And the king, seeing his daughter's distress, brought the human back to life. They lived happily ever after, making other seasons like Spring and Summer come alive."_

_Hisana shook her head. "That was horrible, Bya-kun! You rushed through the entire thing! I could barely understand the concept of the story!"_

_Rukia offered a smile. "Its okay, Nii-sama. I thought it was a pretty good story. But it reminded me a lot of a story Mitsuki-nee read to me. She called it Yukihime."_

_Byakuya's face softened._

_How could he forget?_

_----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

"Dammit! How could this _still_ be happening?!" Rukia screamed.

"Kuchiki-san? Is something the matter?" A voice asked. Rukia took time away from ripping her hair out long enough to find she was in her classroom. And _everyone_ was staring at her. Friends, classmates, Professor Sasoru...

"Crap." Rukia muttered darkly.

Why did this happen during class of all times?

"Um... nothing!" She said quickly. The professor quirked a brow. "Just... Its just... I can't figure out this problem! Haha... heh..." She laughed awkwardly, then sat back down. The stares died down, and Rukia bit her lip.

This was gonna be a _long _day...

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**[Later that night; 5:23 PM]**

Inoue held her breath. This was it! She couldn't believe it! She had waited for weeks to get this letter, and now she would know.

If she was going to Karazuki University, or not.

Karazuki was the best medic school in the country, and Inoue had studied her ass off since third grade just to get a scholarship to the school. The auburn haired teen crossed her fingers, and wordlessly opened the letter.

...And then she screamed.

"YES! YES! **YAHOOOO!!!**" Inoue screamed as she jumped up and down in pure euphoria.

Tatsuki, Momo, and Rukia all ran in, the shortest of the three clutching a metal baseball bat. "What's going on here?!" The Kuchiki girl yelled, to be heard over Inoue's constant squealing.

"I have great news!" the auburn teen gasped, smiling almost creepily. "What is it?" Tatsuki asked, smiling at her friend while jerking the bat away from Rukia's still shaking hands. "Stop," The spiky-haired girl mouthed, giving Rukia a warning look.

"I got accepted," Inoue took a deep breath, "Into Karazuki University! I'm goin' to Kyoto!"

Her three friends immediately enveloped her in hugs.

"That's so great!" Momo squealed.

"It is!" Rukia said, smiling. Then, she stopped, and broke her hug from Inoue. "But..."

"But what?" Inoue asked, jumping up and down.

Rukia was quiet for a minute. "...What about Ishida?"

Inoue stopped laughing.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Ichigo's apartment; 5:45 PM]

"WHY THE HELL WERE YOU SO LATE?! AS A MATTER OF FACT, WHY ARE YOU ON THE COUCH INSTEAD OF THE GUESTROOM?!" Ichigo screamed at Senna.

The spiky-haired girl just streched, and sighed. "I got home last night around midnight. The reason why I was so late was because I had to wait for the roads to unblock from the storm. And, if you're wondering why I'm on the couch, I didn't want to disturb you and your little _girlfriend_."

Ichigo turned red. "She _isn't_ my girlfriend!"

Senna smirked. "Sure, cuz, I'll believe that."

And as Ichigo left, Senna whispered one more thing...

"Love... It makes people go _crazy_." She sighed, lying down on the couch.

_----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

**_HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL!!_**

**_I have a new oneshot that I hope you guys will read... Its called 'Just Like January'. PLEASE READ IT (If you haven't already)._**

**_What else... Oh, yeah, I have a new vid that I'll put the link up for later today or tonight. Its an IchiRuki (of course) With the song 'Kiss Goodnight' by Melissa O'Neil. Its a really good song, If I do say so myself._**

**_Anyway, as for my school life... I'm almost positive I'm gonna go to summer school._**

**_BUT I'LL TRY TO BE QUICK ON UPDATES!_**

**_PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_**

**_--TMU_**


	12. Blood Relatives

**Omoide**

**Chapter twelve.**

**I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING USED IN OMOIDE EXCEPT THE PLOT AND OCS!**

* * *

_**The blades of the windmill that turn in the sky  
Always have the same dream  
The dream of a bird, her wish kept to herself,  
Gazing at the place she can't reach  
I look back: the sun-baked railway tracks are hidden  
By storm clouds- even if they change their shape,  
May we always remember  
The yesterdays left behind by the seasons...**_

**_Tori no Uta_(The Bird's Song) From the anime AIR**

**---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Blood Relatives**

**[Ichigo's home; Friday, June 15 6:39 AM]**

"And that's what happened!"

"Oh... Shit... shit, shit, shit..." Ichigo cursed, pacing back and forth. It was Kaitou all over again.

"Is that all you can say?" Senna asked dryly, raising an eyebrow.

"You know what, you little witch? Here." He said angrily, tossing Senna a whisky bottle. "Why did you give _this _to me?" She asked, holding the bottle up, eyebrows raised. "Because I'm hoping you'll pass out." Ichigo said, sitting down tiredly, slumping in his seat.

"Crap..." He muttered darkly. "Tell me _exactly_ what happened, Senna."

"Okay..." The normally hyper girl said uneasily, sitting up straight. "Rose... she gave me a drink, told me it was from some guy. I asked which one, and she pointed to a _really_cute guy with tealish-colored hair. I walked over, and introduced myself. We got to talking a little, then I blacked out."

Ichigo raised a brow. "Just like that?"

Senna nodded. "Just like that. And before you start, all I had to drink was a couple shots of sake, and the glass of wine, I swear!"

"Then maybe he drugged you." Ichigo said reasonably. Senna shook her head. "No... That's not possible. I held on to my drink the entire time." Ichigo looked at Senna sympathetically. "Then maybe Rose..." Senna shook her head wildly, refusing to believe Rose did it. "No! She would _never _do that!"

"Sen, she was the only one who had the drink. She had to have."

Senna sighed, accepting defeat.

"We'll ask her tomorrow." Ichigo said finally.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Saturday, June 16, 10:39 AM]**

"I hate Tuesdays..." Rukia mumbled. Tatsuki raised a brow. "It's Saturday, Ru."

Rukia sighed. "I know. I just felt like saying that." Momo looked up from her _Allure _magazine. "Well, aren't you just a bucket of sunshine!" She said sarcastically, with a fake smile. Rukia smirked to herself, looked down and continued to 'read' her book. "Hey guys?" She said suddenly, a few minutes later.

Tatsuki and Momo looked up. Inoue was at Ishida's, trying to make thier last week together special.

"Yeah, Rukia?" Tatsuki asked her friend, a quizzical look on her face. "What's wrong?"

"I've been thinking about it ever since Ichigo told me about my past..." Tatsuki scowled. _Note to self: Kill that orange-haired bastard later._The voice echoed in her mind, and the Arisawa smirked to herself. Rukia continued. "I want to visit them. I want to say _goodbye _to Byakuya, Mitsuki, and Hisana."

Momo choked on her tea.

Tatsuki, however, knew this would happen sooner or later. She sighed.

"Okay."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Kaze Bar & Restaurant; 11:00 AM]**

"Oi, Oyasumi!" Ichigo shouted at the waitress.

The blond girl jumped, startled, and turned slowly, nervously playing with her black apron that hung loosely around her hips. Her hair was in a loose ponytail, and she wore a pink and white tee-shirt, and dark-washed skinny jeans.

"Hey... Ichigo." She nodded at the teen. "S-Senna." She sounded guilty.

_Why?_ Senna thought suspiciously, her mind whirring.

"Look," The blond waitress began suddenly, slowly. "I know why you're here. And let me just say; I didn't know _anything_." Senna and Ichigo looked at each other.

"About what, 'Sumi? I won't get mad, or feel betrayed, I promise you." Senna said calmly, taking her friends' hands.

Oyasumi took a deep breath. "I didn't know what was going on at first. One minute, Rose was standing next to me, watching you talk to that blue-haired guy, the next, she was helping him scrape your unconsious body off of the table... I asked her what was going on... But she didn't seem to hear me. I... can't remember what happened after that. I went to Hazuzuki-san, our boss, and asked him about Rose..." Her breath caught in her throat.

"...And...?" Ichigo urged.

"The strangest thing..." Oyasumi breathed, "He said he never met anybody named Rose, let alone had any employees who went by that name. I was really confused... Senna, what happened?" Oyasumi asked almost desperately, tilting her head to the side.

Senna didn't answer.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_**[Flashback; Ten years ago]**_

_"My child, heed my words. __The story I'm about to tell you is a very important one. It entails a long long journey undertaken by the parent and passed on to the child, continuing from generation to generation without end. We will pass on the memories of this planet, and bear witness to every phenomenon along the way, and pass them on until there are no more children. When the skies are clouded by hatred and wars, this planet will be overwhelmed, overwhelmed by its own grief and all will be lost. That end cannot be avoided. It is the way of all things. But, in the end... We must always be mindful of the memories we will pass on to the last child. May the child's memories be of nothing but happiness."_

_The voice was soft, and comforted the small eight-year old girl half-asleep in the speaker's arms._

_"You taught me so much, my sweet little girl... You and Hisana both." The voice whispered, smiling into the girl, Rukia's, hair. Hisana, Rukia's sister, was asleep next to her mother._

_"You, too, kaachan." Rukia giggled. This was one of the few times Rukia, Hisana and Hikaru could be together, with no sign of thier step family. "Kaachan?" Rukia said suddenly, but quietly, so she wouldn't wake her sister. "Yes, Rukia?" Hikaru responded, looking at her._

_"Where... Where's otousan?" Hikaru stiffened._

_Then, her eys softened. Rukia hadn't seen her **real **father since she was two. "He... He's gone, Rukia. He lives in another town." Rukia tilted her head to the side. "But... didn't he love me? Didn't he love **us**?" Damn, she was persistent._

_Hikaru hugged her daughter tighter, rocking her back and forth in her arms. "Of course he did... **does**." She corrected quickly, "He loves you more than anything... Its **me **he doesn't love..." Tears slowly made there way down Hikaru's cheeks._

_Rukia looked down. "Why?"_

_"Just because..."_

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Present Day; Kazuri Cemetary, 11:49 AM]**

Rukia stared blankly ahead, Hikaru's sobbing still ringing in her ears.

"Rukia!" Momo's voice snapped her out of her trance. "What?!" Rukia said quickly, looking around. Tatsuki half-smiled. "We're here."

"Kazuri Cemetary..." Rukia breathed. "Its huge..."

Momo sighed, taking off her sunglasses, and breathing in the fresh ocean air. Kakura Beach was less than a mile away.

Yes. _That _Kakura Beach.

Momo smirked. "It has to be huge if you want to bury less than a thousand decaying bodies." Tatsuki gently punched her friends' shoulder. "Let's just go, okay?" She said, laughing a little as she grabbed Rukia's arm. "Come on, let's get a move on."

**[Five minutes later]**

"Here's our first stop," Tatsuki said, dragging Rukia up the hill. "Hisana, and your mother."

Rukia smiled slightly.

"You want us to leave you alone?" Momo asked.

Rukia shook her head. "Nah, but can we stay... For a little while?"

"Well, actually, I-" Tatsuki started, but was quickly silenced by Momo's foot on hers. "We'd love to stay." She said through clenched teeth.

Rukia smiled. "Thanks, guys."

**[Twenty minutes Later]**

The small group of three had just left Hisana and Hikaru's grave, and were now moving on to Byakuya's.

They left, but before they did, Momo noticed something on Hisana's tombstone.

It read,

**Here lies Hisana Kusaka,  
Beloved daughter of Hikaru and Roka Kusaka  
And sister of Mitsuki, Byakuya, and Rukia Kuchiki.  
January 12, 1992-February 23, 2004**

_Kusaka? _The confused Hinamori thought, looking at Rukia.

Byakuya was buried next to a large sakura tree. Tatsuki said it was because Byakuya thought these types of trees were beautiful, and wanted to be buried in this section of Kazuri. Rukia smiled, trying to recollect _some_memories of her and her brother. Unfortunately, the only thing she could remember was the yelling and shouting of what she supposed was the day he died.

After about twenty minutes, Rukia sighed. "Let's go to Mitsuki, you guys, I'm starting to get a little sleepy..." She yawned.

Tatsuki and Momo nodded quietly in agreement.

**[Two minutes later]**

The group was pushed to the farthest gates of Kazuri. It was just in view of the ocean.

"Mitsuki... She said she wanted to be close to the ocean..." Tatsuki muttered, just loud enough for Rukia to hear.

Momo smirked. "And probably as far away from her family as possible..."

Tatsuki scowled. "Momo! Shut up!"

Said Hinamori shrugged nonchalantly. "It's true."

But as they drew closer, Rukia spotted someone looming over her sister's grave. A girl. She had light brown hair, and dark brown eyes. Her head was down. She wore a black dress that came down a little past her mid-thigh, and a black choker hung from her neck. She seemed to whisper something, and then she layed a boquet of lillies down.

"Did you know her?" Rukia asked suddenly, startling the girl. She quickly turned, and nodded. "M-my name's Kiyone. Kiyone Kotetsu."

Rukia nodded. This must've been Isane's sister.

"My name's Rukia. Rukia Kuchiki." Kiyone's eyes widened for a split second, but she soon nodded.

"Mitsuki's step-sister, huh?" Rukia nodded sadly, looking at the tombstone.

**Mitsuki Kuchiki  
December 12, 1992-June 2, 2009  
_"Because the Earth can only have one dream.  
We are all connected.  
To the air, to the ocean, and most importantly, to each other.  
We must remember. From the dawn of time, to present day.  
That's what connects us."_**

"That poem... Did you know it?" Rukia asked Kiyone again, looking into the brunette's depressed eyes.

She nodded. "Yes... I did. Mitsuki and I... We were roommates with our friend Yoruichi. Best friends, actually. Not as good as her and Shirou, but good enough to be called best friends." She laughed dryly. "It was a prayer she used to say every night. When she was ever hurt or upset, she would recite it, over and over, until she finally passed out from exhaustion." Kiyone sighed. "I used to have to go into her room every morning, and drag her sorry ass out of bed to get her to school on time."

Tears were welling up in Kiyone's eyes, and Rukia listened intently. Tatsuki and Momo watched from the side lines.

"Sometimes... I forget, and walk into her room by accident. I see the empty room, and I remember everything. How she suffered... Her and Toshirou leaving for Karakura Town... Even her funeral." She smiled weakly. "I hate it when I do that."

Rukia nodded. "I know, and, thank you, Kiyone."

The Kotetsu nodded, tears in her eyes.

"Anytime!"

**[Rose's Apartment; 9792 Kazukiko Drive, 2:10 PM]**

Senna and Ichigo had gotten Rose's address from Oyasumi, and were now knocking on her door.

There was a sound of footsteps, and a red-haired woman with gray streaks stepped out, smiling kindly, her brown eyes shining brightly.

"Ara... Hello!" Senna said in the brightest and _fakest _voice Ichigo ever heard. Well... Besides Rukia's. "I'm looking for my friend... Rose Christopher?" Christopher was Rose's father's last name, and even though they are separated, used his name instead of her mother's. To put it in short, Rose didn't really like her mother much.

The woman's smile immediately turned into a frown. "My daughter? What would you want with _her_?" She sounded disgusted. "If you're wondering where that disgrace for a human being is, don't ask me. I haven't seen her for the last... Five years, I think. Ever since her father came and took her back to New York with him..."

Ichigo nodded quickly, wanting to leave. This woman seemed psychotic. _Kaitou _psychotic. "Thank you ma'am, and sorry for disturbing you!" He quickly led his cousin off the property, one thing coursing through his mind.

_What the hell is going on?_

He needed to know. His life depended on it. So did Senna's.

But most importantly, so did Rukia's.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Longest chapter EVER.**

**Well, at least in Omoide.**

**I opened a new account, on which I will put all my other stories. As of now, the Tsuki Meroko Uchiha account is strictly for Bleach. The link should be up by tomorrow. And don't worry, all my Naruto and Full Moon stuff won't be moved. They're staying here. But all my NEW stories that are NOT bleach will be put in the new account.**

**PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**--TMU**


	13. Just Lucky

**Omoide**

**Chapter thirteen.**

**I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING USED IN OMOIDE EXCEPT THE PLOT AND OCS!**

* * *

**Just Lucky**

_**If you want to  
I can save you  
I can take you away from here  
So lonely inside  
So busy out there  
And all you wanted  
was somebody who cares**_

**_I'm sinking slowly  
So hurry hold me  
Your hand is all I have to keep me hanging on  
Please can you tell me  
So I can finally see  
Where you go when you're gone_**

**_-- All You Wanted_** **by Michelle Branch**  
**---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**[Kakura Beach; Friday, July 8, 5:48 PM]**

Rukia sighed, marking footprints in the sand as she walked.

She had made it a habit to visit Kazuri at least twice a week. She usually walked along the beach around sunset.

Rukia smiled faintly at the summer sun before she walked up to her car. Then, suddenly, a hand reached out and caught her wrist roughly. Rukia gasped as she was pinned to her car. "What the hell?!" She shouted in shock, struggling against her assailant.

After two minutes of thrashing and struggling, she finally stopped, and settled for a glare, getting a good look at her assailant. Grimmjow Jaggerjack. She didn't know him, but she did recognize him. "You're..." She started, but was cut off by the man.

"Listen close, and listen good, 'cause I'm only gonna say this once." His voice was harsh, and his grip tightened. If Rukia was in any pain, she didn't show it. Instead, she held her glare. "Stay away from here, you got it? Stay away from the beach, stay away from Kazuri. If you don't, you're dead." He let go of her, and walked away.

"Man..." Rukia mumbled as she cradeled her injured wrist. "What the hell was that all about?"

------------------------------------------

Grimmjow groaned has he walked up to his hotel suite._ Why the hell did I just do that? _He inwardly asked. He turned and opened his hotel door. When inside, he groaned loudly. "Rose, what the hell are you doin here?"

Said red head looked up with guilty eyes. "I'm sorry," She muttered. "But I don't think I can do this... Rukia and Senna are my friends! And Ichigo is really nice, too. If I have to kill three people to save one life, I don't want to save that life." She shook her head, then sighed, her eyes welling up with tears. "Even if it _is_ my little sister."

Grimmjow smiled sympathetically. Very unusual for him. He usually had a scowl, or a sadistic grin if he was torturing anybody. "Well, its too late now. Everyone's forgotten you, and now, its not just Kiki's life you have to worry about. Its yours, too." He sighed, and put a hand on the younger girl's head. She had been like the annoying kid sister he never had.

And no matter how much he denied it, Grimmjow always had a soft spot for kids.

-------------------------------------------

_"Hisana-nee..."_

_Hisana stopped her shuffling of papers, and looked up to her little sister. "Oh, hi, Rukia! Is... Is something wrong?" She gulped. "Did tou-san..." Rukia shook her head quickly. "No... Its not that." She offered a smile. Rukia was now almost finished with fourth grade. "Its about... A boy." Hisana's mood intantly brightened. "Really?! Oh, I'm so happy! My little sister's finally a tween!" She jumped up and down, hugging Rukia tightly._

_**Maybe asking Hisana wasn't such a good idea...**Rukia mumbled inwardly. "Its not like that!" She shouted, putting her hands up. She smirked. "He's usually such a jerk... He calls me a midget all the time! Then again, maybe he does it 'cause I call him Strawberry..." She added as an afterthought._

_Hisana smiled. "It sounds like love to me!" She sang, smiling devilishly. Rukia couldn't stop the rosy blush from adorning her cheeks. "Shut UP, Hisana!" She yelled in frustration, stomping up the stairs._

_Hisana just smiled._

-------------------------------------------

**[5:20 PM]**

"Dammit..." Rukia groaned softly, sinking into her seat. She was currently behind the wheel of her car, a crying Momo, annoyed Tatsuki, and sobbing Inoue in the back. They were heading to the airport. Yes, this was, in fact, Inoue's last day in Karakura Town.

Hooray!

Ahem... I mean, how sad!

Tatsuki noticed her friend's pained expression, but decided to keep her mouth shut; She would ask Rukia about it later.

Soon, the four arrived at Karakura airport. "Oh, I'm going to miss you guys!" Inoue sobbed over dramatically, enveloping the trio in a spine-crushing hug. "I-Inoue," Rukia gasped. "C-can't b-breathe..." Inoue released them. "Sorry."

Momo smiled. "Its okay, and besides, you're gonna see us during breaks, right? And, we'll keep in touch!" Inoue nodded. "Yep!" She then looked at Rukia. "I hope you remember soon, Rukia!" She smiled almost sadly, and walked off to board the plane. "Bye guys!" She waved one final time, and left for Kyoto.

**[7:49 PM]**

"Knock knock," Tatsuki sang, knocking on Rukia's bedroom door lightly. "Hey, Rukia, can I come in?" The ebony-haired girl responded with a slight nod. "Yeah, what's wrong?" Tatsuki shook her head. "Nothing! At least... not with me. Are _you_ okay?"

Rukia smiled half-heartedly. "Of course I am! Why would you ask?" She had on that stupid Chappy-Happy expression she used to use everyday in high school. Tatsuki gave her a look that obviously said she didn't believe her. "Really? Because I saw you digging through the medicine cabinet right after we got home. A headache?" She asked, eyeing the open asprin bottle on the counter. She quickly peered inside, and sighed.

"Uh, yeah..." Rukia mumbled. "No..." Tatsuki said, looking at her ebony-haired friend. "I think... You had another flash." She concluded. She knew how much they hurt Rukia, both physically and emotionally. Sometimes they showed scenes of her past that weren't really meant for her to handle _twice_in one lifetime, plus, they gave her killer migrains that nearly had her on the ground, writhing in pain. That's why whenever Rukia felt dizzy, like a flash was coming, she tried her best to make sure she was sitting down, with less people.

Rukia responded with a slight nod.

"Okay... Yes, it was a flash. And for some reason, this one didn't really hurt as much as the others..." She trailed off, thinking.

What would do that?

"What did you remember?" Tatsuki asked, her eyes softening ever so slightly.

"I was..." Rukia thought for a second, recalling the conversation. "Talking with Hisana. I looked about... nine, maybe ten years old." She smiled wistfully, eyes still shut lightly. "It was about... Some argument I had at school... With this boy, and I said I called him 'Strawberry'."

Tatsuki's eyes widened, but she kept her mouth shut.

"At first I thought I was talking about Ichigo, because I remember calling him Strawberry a few times..." She looked at Tatsuki with confused eyes, "But maybe I was wrong!" She smiled lightly, but Tatsuki could easily see the painful curl of her lips, confused eyes, and hear the crack in her normally strong voice.

She was depressed.

It showed, and Tatsuki could see. She knew why, too. It was because Rukia didn't know anything. She was completely clueless about anything and everything, like a child. Tatsuki smiled ruefully. "Okay, if you're really feeling alright..." She tried to sound nonchalant, and failed miserably.

She smiled, and walked out of the bedroom.

She brushed pass Momo, who had a stoic look on her face. But the look in her eyes told Tatsuki she knew everything.

"How much did you hear?" The Arisawa girl asked, smirking, not turning around to face the Hinamori.

Momo smirked. She was becoming more and more like Rukia lately. Bold, sarcastic, stubborn, and even a little mean. "More or less the whole thing." She answered simply. Tatsuki started walking again. "And where are you going, Arisawa-san?" She sang out Tatsuki's surname.

Tatsuki glared at the wall, pretending it was Momo. "To make a call."

She made her way to the downstairs phone, trying to get as far away from Momo as humanly possible.

_Just what's wrong with her? She was just fine this morning!_

She started dialing, and soon, a voice patched through.

_"Hi..."_

"Renj..."

_"I'm not here at the moment, so just leave your name and number and I'll get back as soon as possible!" ...Beep._

"Damn you, Abarai!" Tatsuki roared into the phone.

She calmed down, and sighed. "Its Tatsuki. You know... Arisawa? Listen, before you delete this message, I know we haven't talked since middle school, but something big's come up. Please, call me back on my cell, number 231-7509. And don't just ignore me, okay? Seriously listen. Call me later."

She hung up.

And she knew... Things _had_ to be bad if she was calling _Renji_.

-------------------------------------------

**[9:52 PM]**

Ichigo didn't know what he was doing or where he was going. Nothing made sense anymore.

All he knew, was he had to keep walking.

Soon, he recognized the neighborhood he was in. Lorelei Street.

He looked at the familiar mansion across the street. He smirked. An idea.

Ichigo quickly looked both ways, and jogged across the street. No one was out. Lorelei certainly was a busy place... At least in the day. At night, it was practically dead.

Ichigo's mind was whirring. He started climbing the closest tree, when a voice stopped him. "Ichigo-kun? What _are _you doing?" The orange-head sweat dropped, and turned slowly. "Zangetsu-san!" He smiled, and waved awkwardly. "Hi... I was just..."

Zangetsu nodded, and seemed to understand. "Never mind, I get it. Good Luck." Ichigo's jaw dropped. "Wait... I-!" But the door had already closed.

"Dammit..." Ichigo hissed, and moved to walk away, when he accidently tripped over Lucky, a neighborhood cat. It hissed loudly, and growled, then ran away. It was enough of a ruckus to awaken a few neighbor hood dogs. And that seemed to wake up Rukia, because her bedroom light clicked on.

"Fuck..." The dandilion head muttered darkly as the window slid open.

"Ichigo!" Rukia gasped, sticking her head out. She glared at her friend. "What the hell are you doing here?!"

Ichigo sighed.

"I'm here to talk."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**_Hey, glad I updated?_**

**_I'm starting to wonder what happened to most of my readers. The number of reviews dropped drastically last chap. Did I do something wrong?_**

**_Oh, and I appreciate those who take the time to ACTUALLY REVIEW!_**

**_One more thing before I leave the building: I DON'T have to go to summer school! HA! I studied hard, and managed to get a C before grades closed! So, as a celebration, the next chap will be out in LESS than... 3-6 days XD..._**

**_Bye!_**

**_--TMuchiha_**


	14. Omoide

**Omoide**

**Chapter fourteen.**

**I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING USED IN OMOIDE EXCEPT THE PLOT AND OCS!**

* * *

**Omoide**

**_'Cause I was feeling as small  
as a drop in the ocean  
And now I realize that  
nothing has been as beautiful  
As when I saw heaven's skies  
In your eyes  
In your eyes_**

**_Love took me by the hand  
Love took me by surprise_**

**_--Drop in the Ocean_ by Michelle Branch**

**-----------------------------------------------------------------**

**[Friday, July 8th, 10:21 PM]**

_"I'm here to talk."_

Rukia was silent for a minute. "About what?" She sighed. "Its probably nothing that can't wait until tomorrow." She started to close her window.

"Wait!"

She stopped. "Is it really that important?" She asked, exasperated. Ichigo responded with a nod. She smiled a bit weakly at him. "Okay... I'll be down in a minute." Momo was out, most likely visiting Toshirou... _Again_. And Tatsuki was who knows where. Rukia was home alone. Well... Not _completely _alone... Ichigo was there, too.

Rukia was outside in a matter of seconds, and she caught up to Ichigo, draping her white robe over her pajamas. They didn't have to say anything. They just started walking. As if something was making them.

After a few minutes, Ichigo started. "I wanted to talk to you about Rose. Have you seen her around lately?" He really didn't come to ask her about that, but he was already there, and he didn't want to ask the other question. Ichigo needed to know anyway. He needed to know if she _actually_ remembered the red-headed, hyperactive waitress that wormed her way into their little circle of friendships.

"Rose...?" Rukia tilted her head to the side curiously. "Who's Rose? Someone you're not telling me about? Was she friends with us back in grade school, or-"

"No!" Ichigo cut her off. "Remember? Rose? Rose Christopher? She works at Kaze..." Rukia shook her head. "Sorry Ich. I don't think I've ever met _anyone _from Kaze who goes by that name." She shrugged. "Ask Momo and Tatsuki later."

She yawned. "I'm _tired_, Ichigo. Walk me home? Or are you going to let an innocent and helpless girl become easy prey for some perv out there?" She looked up with puppy-dog eyes.

Ichigo smirked. "Please, you're _hardly_ helpless."

He was rewarded with a sharp smack to the head.

"Shut up, Strawberry,"

He growled. "Stupid midget!"

Then, her eyes widened. _How did...?_

_"Sometimes, I wish I could just wake up from all of this..."_

_"Don't touch my manga, midget."_

_"I'm a klutz. It's nothing, really, so stop worrying!"_

_"T-Tell me it isn't true!"_

_"She had a nightmare."_

_"Don't worry, Rukia. I'll protect you."_

_"Ichigo!"_

Rukia screamed.

Ichigo didn't know what to do. Sure, she had flashes around him before, but this one must have been _bad_. "Rukia! Rukia, what's wrong?" He knew what was wrong, but saying that was instinct. He grabbed her by the shoulders, and looked at her, his amber eyes full of confusion and worry.

Rukia was panting, and she couldn't see anything. Her eyes were blocked by images from her past. Her and Ichigo... Byakuya... Mitsuki... Hisana... Everyone. Her head felt like someone took a jack hammer to it, and she started sobbing from all the pain, both emotional and physical, without even realizing it.

God, it felt horrible.

At that moment, Rukia wanted nothing more than to die. That's how bad the pain was.

The last thing she heard were Ichigo's concerned words, then, her world faded to black.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Dream/Flashback; September 5; 11 years ago]**

_Rukia stared at the large building. It was her first day of third grade, and she was beyond nervous. Sure she had gone to this school since kindergarten, but she was still nervous. __Then suddenly, someone pushed her out of the way. "Hey!" She yelped, stumbling a little._

_"Get out of the way, midget!" A voice shouted, running inside the school._

_"Watch were you're going next time, idiot!" But he couldn't hear her._

_Rukia huffed. "Stupid kid."_

_-----_

_"Class, I'd like to introduce you to a new student all the way from Kyoto! This is Ichigo Kurosaki." The teacher, Sasame-sensei was her name, introduced a boy with shockingly orange hair and accusing amber eyes._

_No. Fucking. Way._

_Rukia's jaw dropped. As if her life wasn't any worse._

_**He **was in her class!?_

_Oh, hell no._

_"What?!" She jumped up, violet eyes blazing. "This... This... **Strawberry **is my classmate?!" Ichigo's cold stare turned on her Then, his eyes widened. Crap. "**She's** in my class?!"_

_Sasame looked between the two. "You know each other?" She asked almost dumbly, pointing at the two kids. _

_"Yeah." Ichigo grunted. _

_"Unfortunately." Rukia ground out through her teeth._

_Sasame just smiled. "This year will be... Interesting."_

**[March 19; 7 years ago]**

_Twelve-year-old Rukia clutched her shin._

_"Ow..." She groaned, looking up at the concerned faces of her classmates. "Kuchiki-san, are you okay?" Inoue asked worriedly. "I think so..." She stood up, immediately falling down again. "Maybe not." She grunted, rubbing her shin. Rukia had been playing soccer, and tripped. Normally this wouldn't have caused a sprain, but, her body had already been beat up from Kaitou._

_She cringed at the memory._

_"Okay, okay, enough, back up you guys." The gym teacher called, clapping her hands. "Give her some air. Now, is anyone willing to escort Kuchiki to the nurses office?" Before anyone could answer, a familiar voice responded, "I will."_

_The coach quirked a brow. "Kurosaki?" She asked doubtfully. She knew how Ichigo and Rukia never really got along with each other._

_"Yeah." He shrugged. The coach sighed. "Fine. But hurry up." Ichigo nodded, and picked the Kuchiki girl up, bridal style. "Hey, wait!" Rukia started to protest, "I never asked you to-" But she was cut off by Ichigo's annoying voice. "Ah, shut up, Kuchiki!"_

_----------------------------_

_The nurse hadn't been in, so Ichigo took it upon himself to bandage the Kuchiki girl up._

_"Alright, all done." He said, putting the bandages and medicine back where he found them. "You sure knew what you were doing." Rukia muttered, looking at her bandaged ankle. _

_"My dad's a doctor." Ichigo admitted, smiling sheepishly. "And... I've always wanted to be one, so I started practicing early." He shrugged. "It usually comes in handy."_

_Rukia smiled. "I see."_

_Neither of them noticed the blush adorning her cheeks._

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

**[April 29, three years ago]**

_"My letter, dumb ass." Rukia scoffed, sticking out her tongue. Ichigo glared. They looked at each other in silence for a while._

_"Who's it from?" He finally sighed out, looking annoyed. Rukia gave him a look. "I don't know. There's no return address, dumb ass."_

_He blinked. "Oh, really?" He asked, snatching away the letter. "Hey!" She yelled in surprise._

_"To Miss Rukia Kuchiki..." Ichigo read aloud. She grabbed the letter from his unsuspecting hands._

_"Got it!" The Kuchiki said, in victory._

_"And I got you!" Rukia heard Ichigo's voice, then the next thing she knew she was on the ground. "Wha?" She started, surprised._

_And then they realized what position they were in. Rukia was on her back, completely still, and Ichigo was hovering over her. He must've realized the awkwardness of the situation, because his eyes were wide._

_Then, out of the corner of Rukia's eye, she saw a bright white flash. _

_"Aw! How cute!" Isshin._

_"DAD!!" Rukia heard Ichigo scream before he got up._

_"Sorry about that."_

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

**[February 24; 3 years ago]**

_Ichigo whistled as he turned a corner. He had groceries dangling from his left arm, and a stoic look on his face. Then, he stopped. He looked into a dark alleyway, eyes wide. "Rukia..." He whispered, rushing over to his fallen classmate. "Rukia! Rukia! Are you okay?! Answer me!"_

_He shook her, and she coughed, shivering violently._

_"My god..." He breathed, covering her from the rain with his jacket._

_He picked her up, bridal style, and carried her to his house._

_His dad would know what to do._

_----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

**[Present Day; Saturday, July 9th, 8:19 AM]**

Rukia jolted up in bed.

Ichigo jumped, too, then he smiled, relief evident in his eyes. "Thank god, you're up. You really scared me for a minute, midget." He laughed a little, then frowned when he saw her face.

She looked absolutely terrified.

"Rukia? What's wrong?"

"You..." She breathed, finding her voice, "Lied to me."

Ichigo's eyes widened. "Wha...?"

"Why, Ichigo?" Her voice stopped him. She choked on her words.

It was breaking his heart.

"You said we didn't know each other too well... But you saved me." She looked up. "So... _Why_?"

_Why, Ichigo?_

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**I'm evil, I know. But I garuntee, by the end of this fic, you guys will LOVE me!**

**I have a new story that I'm working on... Its IchiRuki too, and, if you guys like the idea, I'll post it.**

**Here's a prieview of chapter 1:  
**_"Miss me, boys?"  
Rukia Kuchiki smirked as she quickly removed the wooden stake lodged in her victim's chest. It roared painfully, and turned to dust. She did the same with his partner.  
The Kuchiki woman scowled. "Stupid bastards," She growled, looking at the body of the dead girl a few yards away. Her black hair was completely matted with blood, her dull, brown eyes wide with fear. She looked no older than eighteen. Only four years Rukia's junior._

**The title is Tenshi and here's the summary: _Rukia Kuchiki was the best Vampire Slayer in all of Japan. She was trained to be cold, heartless. Just like her victims. Who knew someone like her could fall in love?_**

**If you like the sound of it, tell me in your reviews, and I'll post it after Omoide is finished and done with.**

**Bye!**

**--TMuchiha**


	15. Heart of the Full Moon

**Omoide**

**Chapter fifteen.**

**I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING USED IN OMOIDE EXCEPT THE PLOT AND OCS!**

**Hitsugaya Pairing is: HitsuKarin. Sorry HitsuHina fans!**

* * *

**Mitsuki no Kokoro**

**_I waited for you today  
But you didn't show  
No no no  
I needed You today  
So where did You go?  
You told me to call  
Said You'd be there  
And though I haven't seen You  
Are You still there?_**

**_I cried out with no reply  
And I can't feel You by my side  
So I'll hold tight to what I know  
You're here and I"m never alone_**

**_--Never Alone _by Barlow Girl**

**-----------------------------------------------------------------**

**NOTE(S): "OTOME" MEANS DAUGHTER!**

**[Saturday, July 9th]**

_"Why, Ichigo?"_

He couldn't stand the weak breaking of her normally strong voice.

It broke his heart.

"Y-you're a liar!" She sobbed. Her words were meant for a three year old to say when their parent told a little white lie. "Ju-just... tell me _why_, Ichi..." She couldn't even finish his name, she was sobbing too hard. Ichigo looked at the sobbing girl and sighed, trying to take her hands.

She jerked away.

"I... I thought I could protect you by making sure you didn't know anything. Protect you emotionally, at the very least." She scoffed, tears still coming. "Oh, really, Ichigo?! 'Cause you did a _real_ good job with that." She shook her head. "I lived _three years_ with absolutely no memory of my past. It hurt me even _more_ mentally because of that!"

She quickly turned on her heel, and bolted out of the room.

"RUKIA!" Ichigo called as Rukia, _his _Rukia, ran out of the room, crying.

Tatsuki had fallen asleep as soon as she got home, so she knew nothing of the whole Ichigo and Rukia situation. "What the hel- Rukia?! What happened? Why are you crying?" Rukia just shook her head, not looking her friend in the eye. "Sorry, I h-have to g-go." Her voice was so... Broken.

"Rukia, wait! What are you..." But she was gone. She quickly pushed Tatsuki aside and made a break for the stairs.

Tatsuki looked into the Kuchiki girl's room and frowned. "Ichigo... What happened?"

And he told her.

"You realize she's never going to speak to you again." Tatsuki said, disbelief in her eyes.

"I know..." Ichigo muttered. He really screwed up. They all told him he would crash and burn if Rukia ever found out... The truth. And they were right.

Tatsuki sighed softly. "I'll talk to her later, okay? For now, though, just _stay away_ from her."

Ichigo nodded. "I understand."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Kakura Beach]**

Rukia didn't know why she was here.

She just wanted to be away from everyone and everything.

She had _actually _believed Ichigo cared about her... Even as more than a friend.

How stupid was that?

"I'm an idiot... To actually think he'd never hurt me..." She laughed bitterly, feeling tears prick her eyes. _God... Not again... Don't cry, Rukia. You can scream, shout, throw a tantrum, act like a madwoman. Just **don't** cry... Anything but cry..._ She begged herself, hugging her knees closer to her.

But she couldn't stop the salty drops of water flowing down. Her heart ached.

She never wanted to see him again. He lied to her, kept the truth from her for three years. How long would the madness have continued? As long as she didn't find out?

_"Forget it," _A voice nagged her,_ "You can never stop thinking of him. Face the facts, sweetie; You love him" _

Rukia shook her head wildly. "No. I don't... I never will..." This voice, her conscious, or whatever, was just being _cruel_.

The voice scoffed._"Of course you do, sweet heart. Remember those horrible, horrible flashes? The least painful ones were always with **him**. If something happened to him, you would most certainly break do.." _

"Shut up!" Rukia shrieked, covering her ears with her hands. She must have looked like a madwoman, in a situation like this.

Then, Rukia's aching heart stopped completely.

Rukia's eyes widened at the shadow looming over her.

"Hello, otome."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[Karakura Hospital]**

Momo walked the half-empty halls of Karakura Hospital.

She stopped at Toshirou's door, hearing two voices inside. Momo's brows furrowed, and she leaned against the door to listen. She opened the door just a crack to look...

**Inside:**

"And after that day... I really don't know what happened." Toshirou admitted, leaning against the pillow on his bed.

Karin nodded in understanding. "I know what you mean... After my mom died... Something changed. The world always seemed a little darker." She said absently, looking out the window. Toshirou, without thinking, took the young girl's hand. "I'm sorry," He whispered softly.

Karin looked at him. "Don't mention it," She smirked, "_Please_, never mention it," She added shakily.

Something in Hitsugaya's mind clicked.

_"Ah, don't mention it, Shirou-kun!" A smile. A flip of the hair. Unreadable, shining gray eyes._

He smiled faintly. If only Karin knew how much she reminded him of...

Toshirou shook his head. For tonight, he wouldn't think of her. He wouldn't think of the full moon.

Just for tonight.

**Outside:**

Momo smiled sadly. It would never be. She saw the exchange.

And no matter how much it hurt, she accepted it.

They loved each other dearly, even if they were too dense to realize it themselves.

That much was clear.

She smiled sadly, letting out a shaky sigh as she dropped the daisies she had brought him into the nearest trash can.

She never noticed she was crying.

**[5099; Arashi st. Kyoto, Japan]**

Inoue smiled as she knocked on the door. Instead of living in a dormroom with two other roommates, she would be bunking with her cousin, Yumi. Yumi worked at Kyoto Hospital, and was a nurse.

A second later, the door burst open, and a blond woman with doe brown eyes enveloped Inoue in a big hug. "Orihime! Its been so long, cuz! Oh, I missed you, and I garuntee, you're going to love Kyoto!" Yumi squealed, releasing her cousin.

"Yumi-chan?" Yumi turned quickly, and beamed. "Hello, Roka-sensei!" She bowed respectively, and turned to Inoue. "Orihime, this is my neighbor _and _boss, Roka Kusaka." Inoue smiled and bowed at the smiling man. Her smile dropped a bit as she took in Roka's appearence. Dark, ebony hair, and deep amythest eyes that held just a hint of saddness.

Eyes that looked so much like Rukia's.

Inoue stared for a second, then said, "It was nice to meet you, Roka-san! I'll see you again soon!" And she quickly sped inside Yumi's house. Roka looked at Yumi strangely. The blond shrugged and responded, "She's shy."

**[Karakura Town]**

Tatsuki bit her lip. Rukia should've been home by now...

_RING RING!!!!_

_RING RING!!!!_

Tatsuki sighed, and picked up the phone.

"Hello?" She said.

"Hey."

Tatsuki's mood immediatly brightened. "Renji! Oh, did you get my call?"

"Would I be calling if I didn't?" He responded sourly.

Tatsuki winced. _He's **still** mad? It's been seven years! Get over it already! _Tatsuki thought. She and Renji used to date, back in junior high. Then, one day, Tatsuki just broke up with him. After that, he had been extremely bitter towords her, and seemed to be... ah... Infatuated with Rukia.

"So, anyway, do you have a reason for all this? Or are you just wasting my time?"

Tatsuki glared at the phone. She had specifically told him this was beyond important, and if he didn't treat it like it was important, then damn this entire thing!

"It's about... Rukia."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**VERY short chapter, but I just wanted to get it up quickly.**

**Oh, yeah. In Bleeding Love, I said Renji worked at Urahara's. Just FORGET that Renji was in that story, and pretend it was Tessai or something!**

**PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**--TMUchiha**


	16. When They Cry at Midnight

**Omoide**

**Chapter sixteen.**

**I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING USED IN OMOIDE EXCEPT THE PLOT AND OCS!**

* * *

**When They Cry at Midnight**

_**Back to the shadows, I know you're behind me  
Fight in the darkness, with these claws of a feral beast**_

_**The skies opens up to me. Pure water turned into crimson blood.  
Its all I can see.  
This heart I'm searching for, I know that  
I can't go back anymore.**_

_**Say you want, you say you need; you can take it all from me.  
I'll call the debt one day. Trails of blood you'll have to pay.  
Lost on paths of tears and fright, unrelenting, hopeless night.  
My twisted life will die  
When the Cicadas Cry.**_

**_-_Rewrite of the _Higurashi no Naku Koro ni_ sung by Cristina Vee(I think)**

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_"Hello, otome,"_

Rukia's blood went cold. It couldn't be... This man, the one that plauged her dreams.

Her father. Kaitou Kuchiki.

"Outousan?" She mentally cursed herself. After all these years, all these mishaps, she still managed to call him her father.

"Yes, Rukia-chan." He smiled. Rukia cringed. She remembered that look. "Now, look, I was afraid you wouldn't remember me! But it seems you have, and that's really all that matters." His cold eyes contrasted deeply with the comforting smile he was giving her. He ruffled her hair.

"I missed so much in your life, my dear daughter," His smile got wider, "And I plan to make up for it!" He almost sounded... _Kind_.

That made Rukia think. What if he changed? What if he did it for her? What if... He finally _protected_ her?

Rukia warily stood up, crossing her arms defensively. "Really? You mean it? You'll actually protect me?" She was too hopeful.

He smiled sickeningly, his eyes getting icier and icier by the second. Her heart beat faster. "Rukia... Sweetheart, I said I'd make up for it. I never said I'd _protect _you." His voice grew cold, "All I said was I'd make up for it." His smile grew wider, and Rukia's eyes widened.

Her world faded into black.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[5099 Arashi St, Kyoto, 5:36 PM]**

"Yumi-nii?" Inoue asked her cousin. The blond quirked a brow. "Yeah, 'Hime?" Inoue looked down. "Your neighbor... Roka-san, has he ever been married?" Yumi nodded. "Yep. Went to some college in Osaka together, and began dating. Her name was Hikari... Hitsuma? Or was it Hinamizawa...? I'm pretty sure it was Harako, but..."

"You mean Hikaru?" Inoue corrected, gray eyes widening slightly.

Yumi nodded. "Yeah. That's her! They had a couple kids, too. I think it was Ruchia and Hisakumori or something along those lines..."

_Rukia and Hisana. _The names rang through Inoue's head.

"When the youngest of the two turned three, Hikaru moved out, taking the kids. He didn't protest, neither Roka or Hikaru had jobs at the time. For the kids, living with Hikaru was the best option." Yumi shrugged. "After he started taking charge at the hospital, though, Roka started looking for them again... Orihime? Orihime! What's with that look? Are you listening to me, girl?!" Yumi shouted at her cousin. "Oi! Orihime-_chaan_!"

Inoue nodded. "I'm listening. But... I think I might know."

Yumi smirked lightly as she hung up the last of Inoue's clothes. "Oh, really? What do you know?"

Inoue blinked, looking down at her feet. "I know who his kids are."

Yumi stood up straight, shock evident in her eyes.

"What?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[6:42 PM, Lorelei Street, Karakura Town]**

"What's wrong with Rukia?!" Renji yelled frantically, putting his and Tatsuki's differences aside for the time being.

And Tatsuki told him everything that had happened, from high school, to Kaitou, to Ichigo.

_"Ichigo?" _Renji hissed. "She went to that _idiot_?"

Tatsuki scowled. This was _not_ the time!

"Shut _up_, Renji! Would you stop thinking about a love that will never be long enough to hear me out?!" Renji was quiet.

"I'll be at your place in thirty minutes, kay?" He asked softly.

Tatsuki nodded, looking out the window at the dark gray clouds looming over Karakura. "Alright... See you soon," She answered just as softly, and hung up.

**[5098 Arashi Street, 8:34 PM]**

"Roka-_saaan_!" Yumi sang, knocking on her bosses' door wildly.

He opened the door and smiled. "Oh, hello, Yumi-chan, Orihime-san." Inoue started. "Ara... Roka-san, I heard of something, and I thought you might like to know what it is. I know you have two daughters..." At that, Roka glared at Yumi, who tried to act oblivious.

"And I might know who they are... Actually, I _do _know them. Or, at least one."

Roka's eyes widened.

"...What?"

**[10:00 PM]**

Senna sighed tiredly. It was just one of those days where she didn't feel like moving.

_What the hell is going on?_She asked herself, sitting down on the couch. She shouldn't have come to Karakura Town, not now, anyway.

The phone on the coffee table started to ring, but Senna ignored the annoying device, and turned on the TV. After a moment of ringing, there was a beep, and Ichigo's voicemail patched through. Wow, even on the _phone_ he sounded mean.

_"Hey, it's Ichigo. I'm not here at the moment, so just leave your name and number and I'll get back to you as soon as I can." ...Beep._

Senna stared blankly at the television, listening carefully to the message.

A voice patched through, only to be recognized as a terrified-sounding Rukia. _"I-Ichigo? It's Rukia. P-please, pick up the phone. I'm sorry for what I did earlier, but-"_ She stopped suddenly, there was a faint scream on the other end, and then there was a beeping on the other line.

The phone was dead.

Senna's eyes were wide as she heard the next words; _"We're sorry. This line is currently unavailable, or has been cut off. If you'd like to make a call, please hang up and try again."_

Senna sped over to the phone, and kept hitting re-dial, getting the same message. She was worried. What was happening? Just _what_? After about forty-five minutes of uselessly trying to call Rukia, Senna gave up, and called Ichigo.

_"Senna?"_ He answered, and Senna sighed, relived.

"Thank God, Ichigo! I need you to get over here, ASAP!"

_"What? Why?!"_

Senna looked outside; It was raining hard. "I'll explain later."

**[Midnight]**

Rukia scowled at the man in front of her. "Bastard," She growled, and looked at her shin. It was bent at an odd angle, and was covered in blood, just like most of the rest of her body. She bit back a cry as Kaitou kicked her again.

"I don't really remember you being_ this_tough..." He raised a brow, and Rukia yelped slightly as he slapped her. "Although I can't say I hate it, I can actually hit you _more_ now!" He laughed crazily, and kicked her in the stomach.

This was what he had been doing for the past twelve hours. He had pretty much gone past abuse now, and was moving on to torture. And he had all the materials-- Wooden table, nails, hammer, knife, whip... All the makings of a good, old-fashioned, nineteenth-century torture.

Rukia cringed slightly as he brought out the whip. "I'll have you know..." He tested the whip by cracking it in the air, "You may be quiet now, but trust me, you'll be writhing with pain and agony by the time I start driving the nails through your fingers."

He laughed evilly as he brought the rope whip up.

His eyes just spelled _insanity_.

Rukia cringed as he brought it down.

A sickening _snap_ echoed throughout the dark room.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**I know, I'm evil. So short, and such a bad cliffie...**

**I'll make up for it eventually, though! I PROMISE!**

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Oh, and about those torture things... I mostly got it by watching scenes from shows like Elfen Lied, Higurashi (Which is really creepy), and Magical Lyrical Nanoha.**

**Don't worry, most of these torture scenes aren't really graphic, they're just explenations.**

**AGAIN, PLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEEEEEE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**--TMU**


	17. Blue Skies

**Omoide**

**Chapter seventeen.**

**I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING USED IN OMOIDE EXCEPT THE PLOT AND OCS!**

* * *

**Aozora**

_**Let's fly in the most beautiful sky  
We'll try no matter how many times we fall!  
Seizing tomorrow while we get hurt  
I will never forget you telling me so kindly and strongly**_

_**The light dissolves the rain soaking my heart, drop by drop  
I'm protecting this little love with wings trembling in pain**_

_**Let's fly together in the endless sky!  
Fly without letting go of my hand!  
Wandering while seeking out our dream  
I'll kiss you gently on the hill while we wait for the morning glow**_

**_--Tsubasa wa Pleasure Line _The Chrno Crusade opening song**

**---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

_SNAP!_

Rukia didn't know what bone that was, but she did know it hurt like hell.

She bit her lip, holding back a scream. Her neck felt warm, and then, she saw it; Blood. The thick, crimson substance dripped onto the dark, cold stone floor.

She drew in shaky breaths as Kaitou beat her even more. And after what felt like an eternity, he stopped.

"This is getting boring..." He said, treating it as if it were some type of game. Then again, for him, it probably was.

A sick, twisted game of his own design.

He dropped the whip and reached for the knife and a needle. "I'm gonna do to you, what I did to _her_." He smiled sadistically, and pointed to a girl a few yards away.

She looked a few years younger than Rukia, with dried blood all over her. She looked like she had red hair, and she _wasn't_ breathing.

Rukia's eyes widened in fear, worry, and shock.

_"Hey guys!"_

_"Hi, Rose!"_

_"I don't know his name, but he sure is cute."_

"Rose?" Rukia whispered, remembering the redhead.

Kaitou smiled. "No... I'm afraid not. This is Kiki," He walked up to the corpse and lifted up her head, revealing distant, dead, and frightened, blue eyes. "Rose's little sister. It's a pity; I reall thought she would have put up more of a fight." He walked back up to Rukia, who was still too weak to move.

He slowly took out the needle and slipped it into her arm, releasing some sort of drug into her blood stream.

He laughed manically as Rukia coughed a little, spitting out blood, her amythest eyes becoming hazy and distant.

"Oh, is this what it does? I _was_ gonna use a tazer on you, but this seemed a little more exiting," He grabbed her chin, "Let's see what will happen to that pretty little head of yours,"

And he laughed.

Rukia felt something clog up her throat, and she coughed some more. She tasted something metallic dancing on her lips.

Blood.

She closed her eyes... Everything was spinning...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**[7:29 AM]**

Roka had asked Inoue and Yumi to come over to his house as quickly as they could, which was, the next morning. Inoue had already told the doctor about Kaitou and Hikaru.

Inoue smiled as she spotted a picture of what looked like a four year old girl holding a little baby, most likely one or two years old.

"Rukia... Hisana..." She whispered, and walked over to the living room, where Roka and Yumi were seated.

Inoue sat down, and asked, "What would you like to know?"

He shrugged. "Everything..." He sounded breathless.

Inoue smiled kindly. "I thought you might... But I just want you to know, I don't know every little detail."

He nodded.

She continued to speak, sounding calm. "I guess it all started around three and a half years ago, when I started going out with Kurosaki-kun. Rukia and Kurosaki-kun had been friends since second grade, and when I started dating him... She just..." She paused.

"It's almost as if she had lost the will to live. She had basically resigned herself to Kaitou's torture.

She shrugged, and kept her eyes glued to the wall, forcing herself not to meet Roka's gaze. "That was where I fell into the story." She laughed humorlessly, and continued, "Before that, though, she was... Almost happy. She had friends, and a caring brother. Well... He was stoic, and cold-hearted, but he did care for her. She _used _to have Hisana and Byakuya's sister, Mitsuki, as well, but..."

"But...?" Roka urged her on.

"When she was about eleven, Mitsuki ran away, tempted to drag Byakuya, Hisana, and Rukia with her. But they wanted to stay, although I don't know why. Rukia never knew that Mitsuki ran away; She thought she was dead." Inoue sighed. "Then, about two months later, Hisana took her own life."

_Hisana took her own life._

The scentence rung in Roka's head like the words from a nightmare he couldn't shake away. Inoue continued, her eyes still locked on the ivy green wall.

"When Rukia was fifteen, Byakuya was killed while protecting her from Kaitou. After, that, Ichigo found her, beaten to near-death." She shuddered.

She explained the rest of the story with little detail, smiling at the appropriate times and even wiping some stray tears. Then, her phone rang, the ringtone 'Kaze' by Fumiko Orikaza played.

_Only becoming strong-- **tsuyoku dari koko**_  
_Just now-- **dake ga ima wa tada**_  
_Both that face and that person-- **sono kao no sono**_  
_Will enter a graveyard-- **kata mo bocchitsukeru  
**Because time is cut short-- **makeru kara mata**_  
_I again understand one thing-- **hitotsu nomi konde wa**_  
_For my good name,-- **hou me koto ga  
**I was showed what was being hidden-- **kakushisenaka wo miseta da no**_

"Hello?" Inoue answered, her voice hoarse from her crying.

_"Orihime! It's Momo! I need you to come down to Karakura_ now_! I'll pick you up at the train station!"_

"Why?"

_"Well..."_

Inoue's gray eyes widened from Momo's explenation. "Okay, I'll be there as soon as I can!" She grabbed Yumi and Roka's hands; "Come on, we have to get back to Karakura Town, now!"

"W-Why?" Yumi asked, sensing her cousin's urgency.

"Something's wrong with Rukia! She's missing!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Renji couldn't leave as soon as possible as he had originally planned, because of some kind of traffic problems occuring in Hokkaido, where he attended college. He had to leave in the morning, much to Tatsuki's displeasure.

Rukia still hadn't returned.

Renji ran into the manor, already knowing it was open. Tatsuki didn't question him, she just watched his shocked face and heavy breathing. "Hi," She spoke softly, regretfully. "Hey, how's it goin', Arisawa?" His voice was arrogant, and for a second, the two forgot about their current situation, and focused more on each other. For that one small moment in time, it was like middle school again.

Tatsuki opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by her cell phone.

"Ara~ Moshi moshi?" She answered, a little startled from the ringing; She had been so focused on Renji.

Renji stayed quiet, listening intently to Tatsuki.

"What?! Alright, Ichigo, calm down, I..." She looked at Renji, "_We_ will be at your place in ten. Yeah, okay, I get it; No, it's Renji! Yeah, bye." She hung up, looking into Renji's eyes. Then, she said something that made Renji's heart stop.

"Rukia's missing."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ichigo! Ich! Where are you going?!" Senna yelled as she followed her cousin out the door of his home, and onto the sidewalk.

"We have to call the police or something!" She gasped, running to catch up with the strawberry head.

"The police won't help us find her. It's just gonna be the whole 24-hour deal. By then Rukia'll be dead. And, I already know where she is." He pushed himself to go faster.

"Ichigo!" Momo cried, stopping her friend, Senna close behind. "Stop killing yourself and your cousin and get in." She pointed to her car.

Senna sighed in relief. "Thank goodness."

Ichigo scowled as he jumped in the car. "Just step on it."

Momo smiled devilishly. "Of course."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_"I'm afraid not, this is Kiki, Rose's little sister. It's such a pity; I really thought she would put up more of a fight."_

The words rang in Rose's head. He... Killed Kiki? The very _reason_ she was in this hell?

Anger boiled in the pit of her stomach, and she walked up to her room, ignoring Grimmjow, who was listening the entire time, completely. "Rose, it..."

"Shut up." The redhead growled, and kept walking.

Grimmjow stayed quiet.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Do you really think Kaitou would be stupid enough to keep her here _again_?" Momo asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Not really, but it's the best lead I got." He shrugged and got out of the car, Senna and Momo behind him. "Where the hell is Tatsuki?" He growled, looking around.

"You guys lookin' for Rukia Kuchiki?" A voice asked. Momo, Ichigo, and Senna swiveled their heads to get a glimpse of the man that spoke. He had teal hair, and dark brown eyes.

"What's it to you?" Momo answered coldly. The man's eyes showed impatience.

"Because, I know where she is." He pointed to the beach house. "And it's not there."

"Then where?" Senna asked.

He still looked grim. "Follow me and I'll tell you." He started leading them away from the seemingly abandoned house.

Ichigo closed his eyes, thinking.

_Rukia... Don't you dare die on me._

_----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

**So... How is it?**

**Oh, and by the way, the next chapter might come a bit later. I'm going on a little family trip with my two cousins, aunt, and uncle. I'll try to update as soon as possible for next chap, before I leave. Althoguh I'm not making any promises!**

**PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!**

**--TMUchiha**


	18. Deja Past

**Omoide**

**Chapter eighteen.**

**I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING USED IN OMOIDE EXCEPT THE PLOT AND OCS!**

* * *

**Deja Past**

_**White horses on a troubled sea  
Your smile will flash through time  
Up ahead a blackbird's wing  
Your hair will come to mind  
Every night I see your face when I have to pray  
I need a bell, book and candle to keep your ghost away**_

_**Keep your ghost away, keep your ghost away  
I need a bell, book and candle to keep your ghost away**_

_**Just before the thunder roars  
I sense you next to me  
And as I move through nature  
I know where you will be  
So I must keep myself apart, here is where I'll stay  
With a bell, book and candle to keep your ghost away**_

**_--Bell, Book, and Candle_ by Eddie Rider**

**-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**[9:35 PM]**

Ichigo, Momo, and Senna reluctantly followed Grimmjow into an old hotel about two miles inland.

Ichigo had his eyes focused on the man leading them.

They soon arrived at the hotel lobby, which was totally vacant.

"Where is everybody?" Senna asked curiously.

Grimmjow shrugged. "I don't know. Kaitou sent 'em all away this mornin'. Don't know why, though."

Ichigo scowled at the mention of Kaitou. His fists clenched, and he grit his teeth.

The four kept walking, and Grimmjow wondered if he was doing the right thing.

_I am._ He thought stubbornly, shaking his head slightly._ I know I am._

**[Upstairs]**

Rose knew she was going insane.

Her father was dead, her mother was a psychotic bitch, and her sister, the only person Rose had ever grown close to aside from Senna, Rukia, and Grimmjow had been killed.

She dug around her dresser drawer until she fianlly found it. She smiled, clutching the object tightly in her hands.

"Perfect..." She chuckled, and slipped the object into her purse.

Everything was perfect.

****

[Hotel Basement]

Kaitou smiled wickedly.

Rukia scowled.

He was enjoying this. He wanted her to cry, to be weak. To act like she was ten again.

But she wouldn't. She couldn't break down just to please him. She would stay like that, enduring the pain for God knows how long. He would get tired and leave...

Eventually.

He always did, but it usually took hours and hours to do so.

He kept cutting her with the blade in his hand, lightly, but deep enough to scar. Rukia flinched, and looked at him. "Y-you know," She stuttered, grinning slightly, "I don't hate you," She looked at him, waiting for his reaction. "You could kill me, and I'd never hate you."

He raised a brow, but remained stoic. "Really? You'd _never_ hate me?"

She shook her head, her eyes shining with pure and utter disgust. "No... I'd never hate you. I don't." Her eyes hardened. "Instead, I'm disgusted by you. You despise me; You killed so many people... And you don't feel even an ounce of remorse? Nothing at all?" Her voice cracked.

He laughed a little, it almost sounded like an..._Apology_.

"Nothing at all," He confirmed, and brought the knife down. Blood stained the gray floor.

Rukia bit her lip as he stabbed her arm, trying not to scream.

She apologized to Ichigo in her mind. _Ichigo... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. I shouldn't have been mad at you for lying; I should have thanked you, instead. Thanked you for everything. Thanked you for protecting me..._

She screamed as he punched her wounded shoulder.

_Ichigo...Help... Me..._

**[Kakura Train Station]**

Inoue quickly hugged Tatsuki, who smiled.

"Tatsuki! I'm so happy to see you again!" Inoue squealed as she let her friend go. "But what are you doing here? I thought Momo was gonna pick us up! And... Where's Rukia? What happened to her?"

Tatsuki tensed. "I...I don't know. Momo, Ichigo, and Senna are looking for her now."

Inoue looked confused. "Senna? Who's Senna?"

Tatsuki shrugged. "I think she's Ichigo's cousin or something like that. And did you say... Us?"

Inoue nodded. "Oh, right, Tatsuki, I'd like to introduce you to my cousin Yumi," Inoue stepped aside to reveal her blond cousin. "And Roka Kusaka-san. He's Rukia's father." The auburn haired woman finished as she looked at her wide-eyed best friend.

"Tatsuki?"

Tatsuki snapped out of her trance, and walked to her car, motioning for the three to follow. "Okay then... Renji!"

**[Hotel Basement]**

As Rukia plunged into darkness, she thought for a second._ Was it supposed to be like this? Was it decided the day I was born? Was I supposed to die alone, by the hands of my step father? Am I supposed to fight destiny, or resign myself to fate?_ These thoughts whirled in her head, and in the end, she chose the latter situation. She could faintly hear the voices of her friends, telling her not to give up.

_"We're your friends! We just wanna know if you're okay."_

Momo.

_"Of course **you** would choose **now** of all times to give up. Grow some back bone!"_

Tatsuki.

_"I admit it; I was jealous. Jealous beyond compare. But even if my thoughts were clouded by such hostile feelings, you were my best friend. I'm not letting you go that easy!"_

Orihime.

_"Rukia, don't give up. Don't end up like us!"_

Hisana?

_"Lazy-ass Byakuya doesn't wanna say anything, so I'm just gonna tell you this for the both of us; It isn't your time! So why don't you just wake up and show that bastard you mean business!"_

Mitsuki...?

_"I know you're sorry. Wake up so I can **really** tell you that. Don't give up!"_

Ichigo...

_"Don't die... **Please**."_

Who was that? Why did whoever it was sound like they were crying?

"RUKIA!!" Rukia broke out of her trance from the voice that she thought she would never see again.

_Ichigo..._ Her mind was whirring. He... He wasn't dead? He actually came to rescue her?

Did he forgive her?

-----

Ichigo caught her as she fell from exhaustion.

"You... Bastard!" He glared at Kaitou, supporting Rukia's almost lifeless body. Ichigo had to do a double take just to make sure she was breathing. His eyes softened slightly. _Dammit midget, this is the second time in three years that you scared me shit less._

He laughed inaudibly, and carefully handed the obsidian-haired girl to Momo.

"Watch her." He grunted, and stood up.

"So... The hero's back? What are you gonna do, kill me?" Kaitou teased, smiling.

Ichigo was ready to pounce on the man in front of him and punch him to death. And he would have, too. But as he got ready...

BANG!

Kaitou fell to the ground, and coughed, a pool of blood forming underneath him. _I'll always regret what I did... Rukia, I'm sorry._ He took in a last, shaky breath.

Momo and Ichigo turned quickly to see a shaking Rose, clutching the gun like a lifeline. "Rose..." Senna, who stood next to Ichigo murmured, sighing.

The redhead caught sight of Kiki, who was chained to the wall behind Rukia and Momo.

"Oh, my..." She couldn't even finish.

She screamed.

---

**[4 hours later, Midnight]**

"Just when I got out, I had to come back again to visit this idiot." Toshirou scoffed, glaring softly at Rukia. She had just gotten out of surgery, the drug Kaitou gave her had done something funny to her immune system. She was okay now, though.

"Nice to know you care," She said sarcastically.

Toshirou smiled slightly. "Well, at least you're not dead. I'll see ya around, Kuchiki." He waved her off, and walked out of the room.

Momo, who was seated next to Rukia's bed, craned her neck to see Toshirou walk out with Karin, who was visiting Ichigo.

She smiled sadly.

Rukia, who was watching her friend, asked, "You aren't going to try and get him back?"

Momo shook her head. "No... He loves Karin. Don't worry though, I'll find someone. I'm okay. There are plenty of fish in the ocean!"

So cliche... But so true.

Rukia only nodded, knowing Momo _wasn't really_okay. The Hinamori continued. "It's just... I wish... He at least knew... I..." Momo gasped as tears fell.

"It's alright," Rukia tried to comfort her. "Everything's okay."

**[Rose and Senna]**

"You're going back to Brooklyn?" Senna asked her friend.

Rose nodded. "Yeah. My aunt Cordelia lives there. I'll be fine."

Senna frowned. "Come on, why can't you stay in Japan, if not Karakura? I'm gonna be here for another three weeks!"

Rose shook her head. "Sorry... I can't. Besides, Senna. What do I have here? My dad's dead, my mom's a bitch, and my sister was killed by the one person on this planet I thought I could trust." She scowled. "Besides you and Oyasumi, I have no one."

Senna sighed.

**[Rukia]**

Momo waved goodbye to Rukia, and said she would be back tomorrow.

The Hinamori turned, and nearly jumped out of her skin, startled by Ichigo. "Ich! You scared me! Rukia is still awake, too. If you wanted to see her."

Ichigo nodded, brushing past Momo and into Rukia's room.

Momo sighed.

"Rukia?" Ichigo asked softly. Rukia looked up. "Ichigo..." She breathed his name, and smiled as he sat down next to her. "Hi." She cleared her throat.

He smiled back.

"Hi."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Hello pplz!**

**I'm not that happy with this chap, but I guess its okay...**

**REMEMBER!!!!!!!!!**

**If you think Tenshi is a good fic idea, tell me in your reviews. If you want to know what its about, read the preview and summary at the end of chapter 14.**

**PLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**--TMU**


	19. Second Chances

**Omoide**

**Chapter nineteen.**

**I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING USED IN OMOIDE EXCEPT THE PLOT AND OCS!**

* * *

**Second Chances**

**_Love was when I loved you  
One true time I hold to  
In my life we'll always go on_**

**_Near, far, wherever you are  
I believe that the heart does go on  
Once more you open the door  
And you're here in my heart  
And my heart will go on and on_**

**_You're here, there's nothing I fear  
And I know that my heart will go on  
We'll stay forever this way  
You are safe in my heart  
And my heart will go on and on_**

**_-My Heart Will Go On_ by Celine Dion**

-----------------------------------------------------

"Hi,"

His voice was soft, almost inaudible. But she heard it.

"Hi yourself," Rukia shot back playfully. She was in a pretty good mood despite the fact she was nearly murdered by her now dead stepfather.

"Is this gonna go on forever?" Ichigo asked tiredly. The orange-haired teen had been stressing for almost three days, with absolutely NO sleep. Who WOULDN'T be tired?

She laughed. "Maybe..." She giggled.

There was a moment of silence, and then she started humming a little. Soon, she was singing.

_"Nobody knows who I really am, I never thought I could feel this way towards you, and if I ever need someone to come along, I will follow you, and keep you strong."_ Her voice was firm, but angelic.

_"We are all rowing the boat of fate, the waves keep on coming and we can't escape. And if we ever get lost on our way, I will follow you to another day." _Ichigo sang with her, smiling a little.

Their eyes locked.

And then, driven by pure instinct, she leaned in and kissed him. Ichigo's eyes widened. Never, in his wildest dreams had he ever thought Rukia Kuchiki would be kissing _him_. Ichigo Kurosaki.

...Okay, maybe in his _wildest_ dreams, but he never thought it would feel like _this_. Her peach-colored lips were as soft as sakura petals, and she tasted _so_ sweet.

Almost like strawberries.

"ICHIGO! MY SON!"

Ichigo quickly broke away from Rukia, and jumped away to avoid being tackled to the ground by his father. Isshin landed against the wall, head-first. He immediately stood up, acting as if he didn't just land against a hard, hospital wall.

"MY SON IS FINALLY A MAN! MASAKI! WE'RE FINALLY GOING TO GET GRANDCHILDREN!!" He bellowed, and hugged Rukia.

"Oh, Rukia-chan, how can I ever thank you? You brought my idiot son out of his depression, and into the- OW!" Isshin cursed as Ichigo punched him, sending the older Kurosaki to the ground.

"DAD! Shut up! Did you forget that this is a hospital!?" Ichigo shrieked-- Yes, _shrieked_,-- and promptly threw his kooky dad out of the room.

"Sorry about that," Ichigo apologized, smiling sheepishly. Rukia smiled weakly at him, not at all pleased their moment was interrupted.

"Its alright, your father doesn't seem to have changed." She laughed a real, genuine laugh.

He cracked a smile.

They were silent for a while, and then Ichigo sighed. "I should get going; I'll see you again tomorrow," He waved her off, still a little flustered by there interrupted kiss, and walked out.

As soon as the door shut, Rukia groaned softly and her head landed on the hospital pillow.

_We really... Kissed. _She subconsciously touched her lips, and sighed contentedly.

"I love him. I love Ichigo Kurosaki." She whispered to herself, giggling.

"I love Ichigo!" She said again, louder this time.

She must have sounded crazy, repeating the sentence over and over again. But she didn't care, she was a girl in love.

A girl who was completely, head-over-heels, in love.

----

_"I love Ichigo!"_

The words rang in his head. Ichigo smiled.

She loved him back.

The nineteen-year old turned swiftly, and came face-to-face with a man who had black hair, and dark purple eyes.

"Ichigo-kun."

----

_"I have one more thing to ask, Shirou."_

Her voice echoed inside his head, plauging his memories.

_"T-Tell her, I'm sorry. Sorry I couldn't be there to help. Sorry I couldn't protect her."_

"No, Mitsuki." He whispered, kicking a stone. "I just can't."

Her voice seemed to echo once more, being carried by the sighing wind.

_"Why?"_

He sighs again. He's delusional, he decides, and breathes in the warm, July breeze. "I just can't, okay? She reminds me too much of you, you crazy bitch." He says it arrogantly, but there is pain behind his words.

Sorrow, he decides.

Loneliness.

Heart-wrenching, bitter failure.

The wind stops blowing.

He stops talking to himself, and smiles.

It felt like his first in a long, long time...

----

"You're... Rukia's father?" Ichigo asked uncertainly.

Roka nodded. "Yeah... I know what you're thinking; Where has he been all these years?"

Ichigo nodded. "Yeah. Where _have _you been? Do you have _any_ idea how much she suffered?" Ichigo asked softly, but with a glare that could kill. "Do you know how much it hurts her every time anyone mentions her family? _Especially_ her father?" His voice got louder with each word, and his glare grew with each syllable.

Roka sighed, unable to say anything at that particular moment.

"I can explain."

----

"Do you really have to go?" Tatsuki asked, somewhat sadly. "You haven't even seen Rukia yet! At least stay the night! Renji, its almost three in the morning, don't be ridiculous." She tried to be reasonable with the man in front of her.

Renji sighed. "Sorry, Tatsuki. I have to go." Without thinking, he leaned forward and kissed her lightly. He quickly got into his car before she could say another word.

"We'll keep in touch," He said softly, handing her a piece of paper.

And just like that, he was gone.

----

"So... She just left you? It _wasn't_ your fault?"

"Hey! I'm not that Kaitou guy-- I actually _have _a heart." Roka laughed at Ichigo's apologetic face.

Ichigo sighed. "Are you going to see her?" Roka nodded. "Yeah... I'm gonna stop by again tomorrow night, after I clear some things up at the hospital." Ichigo nodded in understanding. "Okay. G'night.'' He murmured as Roka stood up.

"You're not leaving? It's almost three AM, and you wanna stay?"

Ichigo nodded, a wistful look in his eyes. "Yeah..." He heard the light footsteps of Roka fade away, and then all was silent, the only noise coming from the typing nurse at the reception desk. He was still for a few moments, then quickly stood, striding over to Rukia's door.

Inside, Rukia was sleeping soundly. He pulled up a chair, and sat down next to her. "You know, you scared the living shit outta me." He started, smiling slightly. "Don't you dare do that to me again, I almost had a heart attack when I found you like that, barely breathing. Come to think of it, I was terrified when I found you in the alley, when you ran away, and when Kaitou tried to kill you the first time." He chuckled darkly and brushed some hair from her face.

That night, Ichigo fell asleep to the sound of Rukia's heavy breathing.

----

Ichigo's eyes opened slowly.

"Heh, about time you woke up, Strawberry-baka." Rukia scoffed, pushing his head off of her bed. He landed with a 'thump', falling out of his seat.

"What time is it?" He groaned, standing up. Damn, his neck hurt. Never again was he going to sleep hunched over on a chair. "Almost two." Rukia responded. "I woke up around seven this morning." She yawned. "You know, you could probably sleep through a train plowing through your room."

_Knock-Knock._

"Come in," Rukia called. "The dummy's awake!"

"Hey!"

Unohana gracefully strode in, smiling warmly. "Hello," She smiled at the two teens. "Hitsugaya-san just came to see how you were doing."

Moments later, Toshirou stepped in, hands stuffed in his pockets. He looked at Unohana.

"Ah- Kurosaki-kun? Why don't we step outside for a moment? S-Senna-chan wants to speak with you." Unohana said, trying to give Toshirou and Rukia some privacy. Ichigo nodded confusedly. "Okay..." He said, following Unohana out.

As soon as they left, Rukia looked to Toshirou. "Hitsugaya-san?"

He sighed. "Here." He said, handing her a worn out, old, slightly torn piece of paper. "Its from Mitsuki." It was the letter. Inoue had given it back to him after Mitsuki's funeral, saying she couldn't give it to Rukia. Toshirou had accepted the letter, saying he would give it to her. Eventually.

He never did.

It took her three minutes to read the entire thing, and when she finished, she was almost sobbing. "I forgive you..." She whispered, smiling slightly. "Thank you, so much, Hitsugaya-san."

And for once, Toshirou shook his head. "No. No 'Hitsugaya'. Call me Toshirou."

----

**[8:31 PM]**

Ichigo smiled.

Roka had finally made it.

"So... After tonight, what do you plan on doing?"

Roka sighed. "Rukia's a grown woman now. She's not some three year old girl who needs to be looked after every second. After tonight, I plan on going back to Kyoto, but still keep in touch with her. Orihime-chan's planning on sticking around Karakura for another year or so, so it should be pretty easy. Her cousin Yumi works for me, and so does Senna."

Ichigo nodded in understanding.

They stopped at Rukia's door. "Call me when you're finished." He said quickly, and walked away.

"Hello, Rukia."

Rukia looked confused. Who was this man? "H-Hello?" She stuttered, a little confused. Where was Ichigo? "Um... I'm sorry, but do I know you?" Roka smiled.

"Yes. You do. My name is Roka Kusaka. Rukia, I'm your father!"

Rukia just stared at the man as her hands started to shake. Roka noticed this and started. "R-Rukia, I understand if you're mad at me, but..." She suddenly hugged him. "I'm not mad..."

"I'm happy."

----

"How long did you know he was my father?" Rukia asked Ichigo that night, smiling.

"Ever since you got admitted." Ichigo said quietly, sitting next to Rukia.

"I see."

"Ichigo?" She asked after a moment of silence. "Hm?" He answered back, looking at her.

"Thank you." She kissed him lightly.

"No problem," He smirked when they pulled apart.

Everything was peacful.

----

**Next up is the epilouge, which has an unexpected visit from some VERY special characters! It takes place about two years in the future.**

**You'll like it, I promise!**

**But, ITS REALLY SHORT!!!!**

**PLEASE REVIEW!!!!**

**-TMU**


	20. Epilogue: Dawn of a New Day

**Omoide**

**Epilogue**

**----**

**Epilogue: The Dawn of a New Day**

_**If tomorrow never comes  
I want you to know right now that I  
I'm gonna love you until the day I die  
And if tomorrow falls asleep  
Can you hold me first  
I'm gonna love you like  
It's the last night on earth  
Like it's the last night on earth**_

**_--Last Night on Earth by Delta Goodrem_**

**_---_**

"Do you, Ichigo Kurosaki, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do."

"And do you, Rukia Kuchiki, take Ichigo-"

"If I didn't, I wouldn't be here, yes I do!"

The priest chuckled, "Then, by th-"

Rukia didn't hear the rest, she was already kissing her husband. They broke apart, and everyone on the beach cheered. Inoue and Momo ran up, Tatsuki close behind. She had already tripped once, the stupid bridesmaids dress she was wearing was _pure evil_.

The over-exited twosome enveloped Rukia in a spine-crushing hug. "Oh! Kuchiki-san! Congratulations!" Roka came up, and regarded Ichigo coolly. "You'll be sure to take care of her, right?"

"Of course."

None of them noticed the glowing figures next to the shoreline.

_"FINALLY! Rukia finally got married to that kid," _A woman with what looked like black hair said.

Another woman giggled. _"You've gotta admit, Mitsuki, it's better late than never! Right, Bya-kun?"_

The man next to the two women nodded slightly. _"Hn. I guess so."_

_"Hey! Why is it you speak to Hisana WAY more than me?!"_ 'Mitsuki' whined.

_"Because, your words hold no meaning. They're just random sayings that have no real value."_ He said stoically.

_"Why you-" _Then, she smirked. _"Oh, I get it. Its just because you got a thing for Hisana-chii, huh?"_ She laughed at their dumbstruck faces.

_"N-no!" _Hisana pouted, blushing.

_"A-Absolutely not! We are brother and sister, and as such, we..."_

_"Oh, puh-lease! You're STEP-SIBLINGS! You're not technically related, so its perfectly fine. And no one's gonna find out. WE'RE DEAD."_

Hisana and Byakuya were quiet.

Mitsuki, uncharacteristically silent, smiled a bit, and faded away, into the summer sunset.

----

**That was... Sad.**

**No, I don't mean the concept of the chapter, I mean how short it was! I'm gonna cry!**

**Anyway, review please!**

**--TMU**


End file.
